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~Ticks are Back!~
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It’s almost that time of year again when the mosquitoes, deer flies and ticks come out in full force. We have already begun seeing a few deer ticks! Lyme disease goes hand and hand with the ticks. The disease is caused by a bacterial organism that gains access to the blood stream through the tick bite. Dogs with Lyme often present with lameness, swollen joints, fever and are generally not themselves. There are a number of tests used to diagnose the disease and treatment consists of a lengthy course of antibiotics. Tick control is the key point in prevention. Topical products such as
Frontline or ProTICall kill the ticks after they bite the animal, but
before they have time to transmit the disease. There are also numerous
over-the-counter repellants in the forms of collars, sprays, etc. A very
effective vaccine is available to protect against Lyme disease. And,
although no vaccine is 100% protective, when combined with topical
control you can greatly reduce your pet’s risk of disease. It’s also
important to note that it is not only the dogs running through the woods
that are exposed, house dogs that only go out to go to the bathroom can
also pick up these ticks in the backyard. With the variable incubation
period of the disease, we treat dogs with Lyme disease almost every week
of the year. |
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