Spring in Northeast Ohio means more time outside exploring trails, rivers, and campsites. It also means you and your pets will be exposed to the dangers of ticks, specifically the risk of contracting Lyme disease.
May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month, and it’s about informing the public so people and their pets can enjoy outdoor activities without fear of illness. Favorite spring and summer activities, such as hiking and camping, present the greatest risk of exposure to ticks, so knowing proper precautions, as well as symptoms to watch for, is critical.
About ticks and Lyme disease
Ticks are known disease carriers, but Lyme disease is the most common disease spread by ticks, affecting some 300,000 people annually in the U.S. Among pets, numbers have increased, with about 12,000 cases reported in the U.S. in 2020.
Lyme disease is spread by the deer tick. It is not spread from person to person and you can’t catch it from your dog or cat. You must be bitten by a tick to get Lyme disease and quick treatment provides a better prognosis for recovery.
Symptoms in humans and pets
If you or a family member is bitten by a tick, the first visible sign may be a bullseye rash, but many people never develop the rash. Within a few days a Lyme disease infection may feel like the flu, with fever, muscle aches and fatigue.
Pets who contract Lyme disease often do not show any symptoms in early stages but may begin to appear ill two to five months after being infected. Symptoms, which in dogs are often subtle and even more subtle in cats, may include:
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Fever
- Lameness
- Swollen joints
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Labored breathing
What you can do
Ticks can be a problem for your pet all year round, hiding in grass, leaves, and debris and jumping onto their chosen hosts as they pass by. Once on your dog or cat, they are transported inside where they can be a danger to family members and indoor pets.
Reduce the risk of Lyme disease in your family by doing the following:
- Continue tick and flea treatment for your pet all year and ensure your pet’s vaccinations are current.
- Check pets and each other for ticks after being outside, especially if you have spent time in a wooded area. Run your fingers through your pet’s fur to feel for bumps. For children, check carefully in the scalp, behind the knees, and under the arms.
- Cover exposed skin if you are hiking, keep yourself and pets on trails, and avoid high grass and brush whenever possible.
- Maintain your yard by trimming shrubs and keeping grass cut low.
If you find a tick on your pet, call our vets for guidance on how to remove it without causing parts of the tick to break off. It’s critical that no part of the tick be left in your pet’s skin to avoid Lyme infection.
If you are concerned that your dog or cat may have been bitten by a tick, contact Lake Cable Animal Hospital to have your pet examined and to learn more about annual screening options for tick borne diseases.