Lyme disease in pets on rise
Tick season has begun in area
Tick, tick, tick.
A local veterinarian says she has seen increase in the number dogs with Lyme disease which has her reminding people to think about preventative treatments for pets.
“The last couple of months we have seen ticks coming out,” Dr. Kathryn Finlayson of the East Side Animal Hospital. “Just last week we saw a dog from Truro and we tend to have a lot of positive cases from Merigomish and Little Harbour and they are sporadically though River John and Tatamagouche.”
Finlayson said ticks can attach themselves to animals all year, but peak seasons are usually in the spring and fall when the weather is cooler.
She said pet owners can give their dogs a quick check when they come into the home and if they find a tick it should be removed immediately.
Not all ticks carry Lyme disease, but if an animal is showing symptoms it should be taken to a veterinarian for treatment.
“They are usually sick. The most common complaint owners say is ‘my dog is stiff and sore and I think it has been injured,’ but when you examine the dog it is a sickly dog and tends to have a high fever. They also tend to intermittent bouts of shifting lameness. Some of them we describe as walking on eggshells. They walk on tiptoes and it is hard to put their feet down. It is a lot of joint pain and swelling. They are not quite themselves and usually a fever if they have a true active case.”
Tests can be done on site for Lyme disease and if it is positive, the dog can be treated with antibiotics and pain medication. She said if the disease is advanced enough, it might affect a dog’s kidney function so sometimes further tests are needed.
“We talk about prevention, prevention, prevention,” she said, adding there are Lyme disease vaccinations available as well as over-the-counter products from veterinarians that decrease the number of ticks a dog will pick up.
“Products are effective, but you may get the odd breakthrough tick. Instead of having a 100 ticks your pet may get one or two because nothing is 100 per cent,” Finlayson said.
She said the prevention products, either topical or pill form, either prevent the tick from latching onto the dog because it makes the animal’s skin feel hot to the touch to the insects, or they may feed for a bit and fall off.
Tick cases are more and more common, Finlayson said is the message she frequently gives to clients. “It is so easy, buy a product, put on pet, you don’t have to worry about it,” she said.