Can Dogs Get Lyme Disease? What’s the Best Prevention?

Are you aware that your dog can become very sick from a tick? Many people assume that even though ticks are bothersome and revolting on your pet there is no cause for alarm, which couldn’t be farther from the truth. Here in the U.S. there are four tick diseases that can infect your pooch. These are Ehrlichiosis, Babesiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and yes the dreaded Lyme Disease. Each of these illnesses can wreak havoc on our health and the health of our pet as well. Along with disease, ticks can actually cause dangerous disorders such as Anemia in your dog as well.

Symptoms that your dog may have a tick-borne illness can include a loss of appetite, lethargy and depression,  pain, diarrhea, vomiting, edema in the extremities, hemorrhaging, neurological disorders such as seizures, and even death.

In the North Shore area, Lyme disease in particular is an area of concern for residents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention actually chart the progression of Lyme disease in dogs through parasite prevalence maps which are provided by the CAPC ( Companion Animal Parasite Council) . These innovative maps are used in a new study by the CDC to predict which regions are at a greater risk of outbreaks of the disease. By keeping up with the information on canine occurrences in an area the CDCcan pinpoint which areas are most vulnerable and better warn the citizens of that area to protect themselves against ticks that may be potential carriers of the disease. According to this data, we’re at high risk here in Massachusetts. One out of every fifteen dogs tested for Lyme Disease tested positive.

Along with having your veterinarian advise you on the best tick protection for your dog, as well as exercising tick safety during tick season, it is even more important to treat the areas where ticks thrive. Even the best laid plans that include spot-on canine tick treatments can falter and put your dog at risk.

It is important to pet owners and non-pet owners alike to protect themselves from ticks and the potential diseases that they carry. One way to discourage ticks is to keep up with your surroundings and take control of your property by keeping overgrowth, debris and brush to a minimum. Tick tubes are the one of the best weapons against ticks and Lyme disease along with treatment protection. Tick tubes appear to be non-threatening, but on second glance they contain an arsenal of knowledge and tick abatement in a small tube.

The tick itself uses field mice as transport from the woods to you or your dog. The tick actually hitches a ride on the field mouse with the sole priority to “go home” with the mouse. The young tick is transported to the mouse’s den where it can feed, thrive and grow until it inevitably attaches to a host like man’s best friend or our kids while they are playing in their own backyard.  Tick tubes contain treated cotton which the mice use to “feather” their nests. The treated cotton breaks the cycle by killing the tick, but aiding the mouse in making a toasty warm bed. The treated cotton is safe for the mice, but lethal to the tick. Recent studies indicate that using tick tubes on your property can reduce your risk of coming into contact with an infected tick up to 90%. So your family, and your dog is happy and healthy.

Mosquito Squad of the North Shore uses tick tubes in conjunction with our seasonal barrier treatment to keep you tick free all season. Our perfect pair of tick abatement programs keeps tick out of sight and out of mind. Go ahead, let Spot run and enjoy the season. Let your dog be a dog, and all that entails, but keep his tail waggin’ safe with tick control that stops the cycle of disease at the source.