Lyme disease is spreading! Areas that didn’t use to see this tick borne disease are having occurrences and areas that it had been found in the past are seeing it in record numbers. We are now in an area that is considered high risk for Lyme. Lyme disease is transmitted by ticks to humans as well as pets and is an extremely debilitating disease process.
Many individuals are under the impression that if they don’t go hiking or live near woods, that they (nor their pets) are at a risk for contracting Lyme. However, this just isn’t the case. Ticks are found just about everywhere (although the risk is higher in taller grass and around woody areas). They thrive where there is wildlife such as deer, raccoons, opossum, birds, etc. We are having city, apartment dwelling dogs turning up positive for Lyme disease and these pets have had no “traditional” tick exposure. This is why the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) recommends year round tick prevention for dogs and cats. Different species of ticks are active all 12 months of the year; while ticks that transmit Lyme are active at different times throughout the year.
We carry two different tick preventions here at Creekside Animal Hospital. They are all in combination with flea prevention (as that is also something we recommend year round and the combination product provides a convenience feature.) Credelio is a once a month chewable tablet for dogs. Seresto is a collar that lasts 6-8 months depending on the frequency of bathing/swimming that your pet does. Our staff would be happy to discuss our products further and help you decide which would be the best fit for your lifestyle.
New research from CAPC found that the prevalence of Lyme disease is trending up in areas previously thought to be at a lower risk for tick-borne diseases. (Image courtesy of CAPC)