This article for the month of may focuses on Lyme Disease prevention month. As such, we will go over what Lyme Disease is, the effects it can have on your dog and how to prevent it from occurring.
Where does Lyme Disease Come From?
Lyme disease comes from ticks. Usually, these ticks can be found in tall grass, thick brush and generally in the woods. Ticks tend to crawl and latch onto your dog when they pass by those areas. Ticks transmit Lyme disease once they have attached to your dog and tend to do so within 1-2 days. Lyme disease can affect your dog in several ways causing:
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
- Reduced energy
- Stiffness in joints
- Pain
- Swelling of joints
- Kidney Failure
- Possible cardiac and neurological effects
and more…
Treatment of Lyme Disease
Treatment for Lyme disease is done with the help of antibiotics – usually for at least a month. Treatment can also include other therapies to relieve specific symptoms.
Prevention of Lyme Disease
Inspect your dog for ticks after walks through the woods or grassy areas. Ticks can be anywhere – from toes, lips, around eyes, ears, under the tail and more. If you see a tick, remove them immediately. Tweezers can be a great tool to remove ticks. You can also get your dog vaccinated to prevent them from getting Lyme disease. Speak with your vet about this for more information.
Tick Prevention
Ruffin’s carries a line of Advantage and Advantix products that can be helpful with the prevention of Lyme disease. Contact your nearest store for more information.
We hope this short article provides more insight on Lyme disease and some of the things you can do to prevent it from occurring to your dog. Stay Safe!
