Take Precautions to Prevent Lyme Disease in Your Pet

Sluggish parasites begin to become active when the cold weather of winter gradually fades away and warm spring temperatures begin to arrive. Because of this, April is the ideal month to be designated as Lyme Disease Prevention in Dogs Month. Take steps to decrease the probability of ticks hitching a ride—or a meal—on your pet, and educate yourself on how to recognize common symptoms of Lyme disease to increase the likelihood that your four-legged friend will receive the treatment they require.

Lyme disease signs in dogs

Lyme disease is one of the most common tick-borne infections in the world; yet, only five percent to ten percent of dogs who are infected exhibit any indications of the illness, and symptoms may not occur for several months after the original tick bite.

Symptoms of Lyme disease in dogs may include the following:

Shifting-leg lameness
Lethargy 
Fever
Swollen lymph nodes
Inappetence
Painful, inflamed joints

The bacterium that causes Lyme disease can be reduced by antibiotics, but they do not usually entirely eliminate it. As a result, chronic disease can still develop. The indicators may come and go as your dog’s disease comes back and forth between episodes. Kidney disease can also develop, which can be identified by symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, and an increase in thirst as well as the need to urinate more frequently.

How to prevent Lyme illness from occurring in your pet

Lyme disease has the potential to not only impact your own health but also the health of your pet for the rest of its life. By taking the following precautions, you will be able to protect both your family and your pet from the severe consequences that are caused by the disease:

Trim your grass – Ticks are far less likely to be found in grass that has been cut short, so be sure to mow your lawn on a regular basis.
Refrain from strolling through tick habitats – Taking your pet on a hike through the woods might be a fun and exciting experience for both of you, but the thick brush and leafy litter are ideal environments for ticks.
Check your pet—Give your pet a careful inspection to see if there are any ticks crawling on it or adhering to it. The area close to the ears, the crotch, the area under the tail, and the space between the toes are all prime locations.
Administer tick prevention – If you give your pet a tick prevention medication once a month, they will be protected against Lyme disease since the medication will kill ticks before they can pass on the illness-causing agent.
Vaccinate your pet and discuss the possibility of getting your dog vaccinated against Lyme disease with your family veterinarian.

Your four-legged friend may be at risk for Lyme disease for the rest of his or her life, but Lyme disease can be prevented with routine tick prevention. Get in touch with our staff so that we can recommend the tick preventive that will work best for your pet.