BREWER — As warmer temperatures draw us and our furry friends outdoors, veterinarians are issuing a reminder that we aren’t the only ones at risk of contracting a tick-borne disease.
Associate Veterinarian at Brewer Veterinary Clinic Chelsea Niehoff says she’s already seen several cases of Lyme Disease and other tick-borne illnesses in dogs over the last few weeks, along with a steady increase over the years.
“From when I first started to now, there’s a huge number of lyme cases compared to back then and we’ve seen a huge uptick of anaplasmosis in the area,” said Niehoff.
When a dog contracts a tick-borne disease, it can sometimes be fatal — which is why veterinarians say that prevention is essential.
“We have liquid that is absorbed into the skin. Those physically keep ticks off the skin and the animal,” said Niehoff. “The oral flea and tick is the best product on the market, and if you have a ton of ticks in your area, I’ve actually started recommending putting a Seresto brand collar on the pet, as well.”
There is also a Lyme vaccine for dogs, and Niehoff says this helps to train their immune system to fight the disease.
However, she says: “The Lyme vaccine doesn’t actually prevent Lyme Disease.”
Which is why it’s important to watch out for early warning signs.
Unlike humans, dogs don’t show the distinctive bullseye rash at the site of a deer tick bite.
“You’ll actually see kind of a bug bite reaction on the skin. They could not be eating very well, start limping,” said Niehoff. “Or be really dumpy and not want to get up. Just feeling really poor.”
Niehoff says Lyme Disease is unlikely to be a problem for cats but still recommends using flea and tick products to prevent tick bites.
For more information to protect your pets, visit fda.gov.
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