Make sure your pet doesn’t get Lyme disease.

As the cold weather of winter slowly goes away and warm spring weather comes, bugs that have been sleeping wake up. This is why April is a great time for Lyme Disease Prevention in Dogs Month. Take steps to make it less likely that your pet will give ticks a ride or a meal, and learn how to spot common signs of Lyme disease so your pet can get the care they need.

Lyme disease signs in dogs

Lyme disease is one of the most common tick-borne diseases in the world. However, only 5–10% of dogs with Lyme disease show symptoms, which may not show up for weeks or months after the tick bite.

Some of the signs of Lyme disease in dogs are:

Shifting-leg weakness

Lethargy Fever

Swollen lymph nodes

Inappetence

Joint pain and swelling

The Lyme-causing bacterium can be reduced by antibiotics, but they can’t always get rid of it fully. If this happens, a chronic disease can develop. As your dog’s illness comes back, the signs may come and go. Kidney disease is rare, but it can happen. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, and more thirst and urination.

How to keep your dog or cat from getting Lyme disease

Lyme disease can affect not only you but also the health of your pet for the rest of its life. Follow these steps to protect your pet and family from the major problems that this disease causes:

Cut your grass. Ticks don’t like to live in short grass, so mow your yard often.

Don’t walk where ticks live. Taking your pet for a walk in the woods can be a fun adventure, but ticks love tall brush and green debris.

Check your pet. Carefully look over your pet for ticks that are moving or stuck to it. Near the ears, in the groin, under the tail, and between the toes are all good places.

Give your pet tick prevention. Monthly tick prevention will protect your pet from getting Lyme disease by killing ticks before they can spread the pathogen.

Get your cat vaccinated. Ask your vet if a Lyme vaccine is right for your dog.

Lyme disease can make your pet sick for the rest of its life, but you can protect your four-legged friend by removing ticks regularly. Get in touch with us to find out which tick repellent is best for your pet.