Lyme disease is a growing problem for people all over the United States. While thought of as a primarily Northeastern worry, Lyme disease has spread all over, including in Kansas City. Ticks are the natural carriers of the disease and ticks love to attach themselves to dogs. In addition to Lyme disease ticks can cause other diseases in your dog, including Rocky Mountain spotted fever (the most popular disease in our area). Tick season begins in May in the Kansas City metro. There are a few things that you should do to protect your dog while you go for walks out in nature this summer to prevent your pet from getting this horrible disease:
Talk with your vet about the best prevention sprays and medicines for your dog. Vaccines for Lyme disease may be available for your dog, however it’s best to also apply a spray or product that will keep ticks from attaching themselves to your dog. There are a number of tick and flea collars and other items that will scare ticks away from both dogs and cats who spend time outdoors.
Avoid areas that are prone to ticks. Don’t walk your dog in tall grassy areas or marshes. Wooded areas are also a hotbed for ticks. Dogs can even pick up ticks around the home. Make sure you mow your lawn often and keep scrubs tidy and well-maintained. Secure your trash cans to keep rodents away that carry ticks with them.
After walking your dog outside check your dog for ticks thoroughly. The best places to look are around the eyes and tail. Look inside the ears as well as around them. Ticks have been known to hide under a dog’s collar as well. You can also find ticks under the dog’s front legs, behind the back legs and between the toes.
If you find a tick on your dog remove with tweezers to take your dog to the vet immediately to have a professional take care of it. Ticks can live and continue to infect the dog if you don’t remove them properly.
If you’re worried your pet may have Lyme disease some of the warning signs include:
Swelling of joints
Fever
Loss of appetite
Decreased activity
Unfortunately it can take 2-5 months for the warning signs to be present, making prevention the best way to avoid lyme disease in your pets.
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