Tick season is always a concern for dog owners. Ticks are parasites that attach themselves to dogs and feed on blood. In the process, they can transmit serious diseases such as Lyme disease and Canine Anaplasmosis. The symptoms of these diseases are similar and include fever, joint stiffness, lethargy, and loss of appetite.
Prevention is key in terms of fending off these dangerous tick-borne diseases. There are numerous products available to keep ticks from latching onto your dog, including tick collars and preventative vaccination. However, no type of prevention can offer 100% certainty.
For dogs that already have a tick-borne illness, early detection and treatment is the most important. Broad-spectrum antibiotics are usually effective in early stages of the disease. This is why it’s important for your dog to have screenings for these diseases to catch them early on.
Works cited:
“Canine Tick-Borne Disease.” Canine Health Foundation. 27 February 2012. Web. 22 March 2014. < http://www.akcchf.org/canine-health/your-dogs-health/caring-for-your-dog/canine-tick-borne-disease.html>
