Lyme disease, transmitted most commonly by the deer tick can cause illness and humans but a smaller animal who may in fact be your best friend is also subject to the disease. With the advent of summer, you may want to start checking Spot as well as your pet for ticks. Lyme disease is an increasing problem in the pet populations, especially in the Northeast. The Companion Animal Hospital has treated and diagnosed over 70 animals with the illness since 2005. With the incidence increasing, it is important to know the signs of the disease as well as how it is transmitted. Properly identifying the disease and protecting your dog from ticks is essential.
A tick must be on a dog for over 48 hours in order for the canine to become infected. The insect must draw blood which is how it obtains its food in order to infect another animal or person.. A bacterium carried by the insect causes the disease. Dogs may develop a limp, lose interest in their food, swelling of the lymph nodes or can cause kidneys to fail in some cases. While antibiotics help treat the disease and ease some of the symptoms, they do not cure it. If you find ticks on your dog, or suspect your dog may have been exposed to the blood sucking insect, you should have him or her undergo regular veterinary screenings.
Most animals are admitted showing signs of painful limping. The limp may start off as moderate but can progress to the point where the dog is unable to walk completely, requiring Fido to be carried into the vet’s office. Just as the disease does in humans, lime disease often imitates the symptoms of another disorder and can easily be misdiagnosed. Even after treatment, patients may experience chronic pain in the joins or cardiac problems. Whether or not the disease can be contracted more than once is unclear as it may just be a relapse of an earlier infection.
Should Spot gain a tick, use a pair of tweezers to carefully remove it and grab the tick as close to the skin as possible. Make sure to pull the insect directly away from the canine. Putting your dog through a monthly tick control regiment is a good idea. Many such products are available such as Frontline, which is applied month. It is important if you suspect your dog may be showing signs or have been exposed to one of the three ticks that carries the disease to have him or her screened as soon as possible. Going here, this website will help you learn more about some helpful tips on how you should protect your dog from Lyrne disease. As a responsible owner, you should know what’s best for your dog and that includes their health and safety.
