Can Your Pet Get Lyme Disease from a Tick?

Just last week after taking my pup on a morning walk in Darien, CT, I noticed a bump on my  dogs on her ear.   When trying to pull it off, I noticed its legs moving, eh a TICK!   In a panic, I consulted with a friend who gave instructions on how to safely remove the pesky thing.  What I learned was that if you find one there can be more.  In this case, we removed three additional smaller ticks near the larger one pictured below and found several more inside the house.   One found it’s way to my daughter’s forehead!

Tips for Checking and Removing Ticks on Your Pet

Inspection:  Check the skin thoroughly after spending time outside looking for bumps and tick feeding areas.

Removal:  If you find a tick on your dog, remove it immediately and attempt to extract the entire body using tweezers and rubbing alcohol.

Lumps and Healing:   If the tick has been feeding for some time, it may be somewhat submerged and create a big lump.   Over the next few weeks, skin will grow over the wound and will eventually peel away.  Thankfully, it does not cause discomfort or pain.

Will My Pet Get Lyme Disease?

Sending ticks in for testing through your local health department will determine if they were carrying disease, but the process can take a while and often the symptoms will present before results are obtained.

Symptoms Lyme Disease in Pet:

• Fever
• Lethargy
• Sensitive to touch
• Difficulty walking
• Swollen joints
• Loss of appetite

Contact your vet immediately if you see symptoms.  Antibiotics can be effective in treating Lyme disease.

A Mosquito Squad Barrier Treatment will instantly eliminate ticks and other pests in your yard.   Call for a free quote and protect your family.