Defend Your Furry Friends Against Lyme
We share everything with our pets—our homes, our love (and sometimes even our beds), but we can also share something much more deadly—our illnesses. Lyme disease is a type of “zoonosis,” or disease that can affect both humans and animals, so it’s important for every member of your family—fur or no fur—to take precautions against this persistent threat.
Just as it can be deadly to us two-legged creatures, Lyme disease can be dangerous and even fatal to our animal companions, especially since it can be so much more difficult to detect in them. There are, however, several preventative measures you can take to protect both people and pets.
The Lowdown on Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi, which is carried by infected ticks and transmitted when they bite. Blacklegged (“deer”) ticks are the most common vectors for Lyme disease, however many ticks carry a whole slew of other diseases--such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis and tick paralysis--which are all transmittable to your pets.
These parasitic hitchhikers are often picked up in overgrown grassy and wooded areas, such as fallow fields and forests, where they are plentiful. If it’s not possible to avoid such areas (dogs especially find them difficult to resist), your veterinarian and pet supply stores have several options available to avoid, reduce and destroy ticks.
An Arsenal of Anti-Tick Options
One of the most effective methods of preventing ticks and the diseases they carry is to call a pest control professional. Some DIY options have proven helpful, but are best pursued in conjunction with professional pest control.
Tick collars are among the most popular, however those primarily repel ticks from the head and neck area, leaving other parts of your animal’s body vulnerable. If your pet spends time frolicking in tick-dense areas, you’ll need a more holistic approach.
Shampoos, “tick dips” and “spot-on” treatments have a twofold purpose—they all kill ticks on contact as well as coat your pet’s fur with a repellant that can last from two weeks up to about a month. The danger with these products, however, is that they coat your pet’s fur with a toxin, which is especially concerning if there are children in the home.
Probably the safest and most effective method of tick prevention and elimination for animals is oral medication, available through your veterinarian. These once-per-month treatments work by poisoning insects when they bite or sting your pet, which leaves your animal’s skin and fur safe and toxin-free.
Vigilance Protects Pets and People
No means of tick prevention or elimination is foolproof, however, so it’s important to routinely check your pet for ticks and remove them properly with tweezers. Your pet’s fur makes ticks even more difficult to find than on humans, so it’s important to take your time and be thorough.
This is doubly important, because a tick hidden beneath a pet’s fur could make its way into your home where it could bite and infect human family members.
Signs of the Lyme
Also be on the lookout for symptoms of Lyme disease in your pets, including fever, loss of appetite, joint swelling, staggered gait and decreased activity. One of the defining characteristics of Lyme disease is a target-shaped rash, however that can be difficult to observe through an animal’s fur. If you notice any of these symptoms, make a vet appointment immediately.
Contact us for a free estimate on tick control for your property. Our process can knock down 90% of the tick population in your yard, giving you better peace of mind.
