Lyme Disease Prevention Tips
April is the month dedicated to preventing Lyme Disease in Dogs as parasites become active with the arrival of warmer spring temperatures. To decrease the chances of your pet getting ticks and falling ill, it’s important to educate yourself on common signs of Lyme disease and take preventative measures.
How to protect your pet from Lyme disease
Lyme disease can have long-lasting effects on your pet’s health, in addition to the harm it can cause to you. To prevent your pet and family from experiencing the disease’s severe consequences, take the following precautions:
- To reduce the risk of ticks, mow your lawn frequently so that the grass remains short.
- To avoid ticks, do not walk your pet in areas where ticks are likely to be found, such as tall brush and leafy debris in the woods.
- Inspect your pet carefully for ticks that may be crawling or attached. Focus on areas such as near the ears, in the groin, under the tail, and between the toes.
- To protect your pet from Lyme disease, give them tick prevention on a monthly basis. This will kill ticks and prevent them from transmitting the pathogen.
- Consult with your veterinarian to determine if your dog should receive the Lyme vaccination in order to protect against this disease.
Lyme disease signs in dogs
Lyme disease is a prevalent illness caused by tick bites, but dogs may not show any symptoms, and it could take months for signs of illness to show up, affecting only 5% to 10% of the affected dogs. Lyme disease signs in dogs can include:
- Shifting-leg lameness
- Lethargy
- Inappetence
- Painful, inflamed joints
- Fever
- Swollen lymph nodes
It is important to know that antibiotics may not completely eliminate the bacteria causing Lyme disease in dogs, which can lead to the development of chronic illness. The symptoms may come and go as the disease recurs. While rare, dogs may also develop kidney disease, which can be identified by vomiting, diarrhea, and increased thirst and urination.
Regular tick prevention can protect your pet from getting Lyme disease, which can cause chronic illness. Contact us to find out which tick preventive would be the most suitable for your four-legged friend.