Ticks are a problem — protect your dog

Dear Dr. John,

There has been some recent coverage regarding ticks and the problems they transmit. Apparently, this has become more of an issue this year due to the warmer winter that we had with less snow. Is this true? I heard about two other diseases that ticks can transmit to dogs, but even humans as well. How concerned should I be with these two emerging diseases or are they really that new? My dog does take a monthly chewable flea and tick medication for 8-9 months a year and it seems that giving it year-round should now be considered. What do you advise? B.A. Dear B.A.,

As you point out, there has been some recent news coverage in the New England area regarding tick-borne diseases which seem to be on the rise due to warmer weather. It has been enough of an issue that the Centers for Disease Control has called Massachusetts an endemic area for one of the two conditions you refer to, namely Babesiosis. The other illness Anaplasmosis. There are two other tickborne pathogens that we see with some regularity, and they are Lyme Disease caused by Borrelia burgdorferi and Ehrlichia. None of these are new diseases.

The typical blood test that your dog gets annually tests for heartworm, Lyme, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasmosis. All of these can cause problems that can range from mild to severe in your dog and in people, so I believe there is adequate reason for concern. Clinical signs in various species can include loss of appetite, lethargy, lameness, kidney problems, heart problems, headaches, anemia, and other blood conditions. While there is a vaccine for dogs to prevent Lyme Disease, there is nothing available to prevent these other agents from causing disease, so preventive measures become that much more important. There are no vaccines available for humans to prevent infection by these agents. Having gone through a mild winter and never knowing what weather might bring in the future, I do think it advisable to use tick prevention all year in this part of the country.