How to Protect Your Pet from Lyme Disease
April is Prevention of Lyme Disease in Dogs Month. With the arrival of warmer spring temperatures, parasites like ticks become active again. To protect your pet from Lyme disease, take action to prevent them from getting ticks and learn to recognize common symptoms of the disease.
Lyme disease signs in dogs
Although Lyme disease is a prevalent tick-borne illness worldwide, only 5% to 10% of dogs who contract it display symptoms. Additionally, the illness may not manifest until months after the initial tick bite. Dogs with Lyme disease may exhibit signs such as:
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Inappetence
- Shifting-leg lameness
- Lethargy
- Fever
- Painful, inflamed joints
The use of antibiotics may reduce the Lyme-causing bacterium, but it cannot always completely eliminate it, which can lead to the development of chronic illness in dogs. The symptoms of the illness can fluctuate as it recurs. In rare cases, kidney disease may also develop, which can be identified by symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst, and urination.
How to protect your pet from Lyme disease
Lyme disease can have long-lasting impacts on your pet’s health, as well as your own. To keep both your family and pet safe and prevent the disease’s severe consequences, take the following precautions:
- Mow your lawn regularly to reduce the risk of ticks, as they are less likely to be found in short grass.
- To avoid ticks, don’t let your pet walk in areas that are home to ticks, such as tall brush and leafy debris, even though your pet might enjoy exploring the woods.
- Please carefully examine your pet for ticks by checking areas such as the ears, groin, tail, and between the toes, where they are more likely to be found.
- To protect your pet from Lyme disease, make sure to give them tick prevention every month. This will kill ticks before they can spread the disease to your pet.
- Please consult your veterinarian to see if Lyme vaccination is the right choice for protecting your dog.
Regular tick prevention can safeguard your pet from Lyme disease, which can cause long-term sickness. Please get in touch with our team to choose the most suitable tick preventive for your furry companion.