Protect your dog from Lyme Disease

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What is Lyme Disease?

Lyme Disease is a tick-borne bacterial disease that affects both humans and Animals.  The bacterium that causes Lyme disease is Borrelia burgorferi, which is picked up by ticks when they feed on infected animals. The tick then transmits the bacteria to other animals (or people) when they attach and feed again.

Signs of Lyme Disease: 
The signs and symptoms of Lyme disease can take several months to appear and are often mistaken for signs of other diseases. The most common sign is lameness due to joint pain, but Lyme disease also cause Kidney problems, as well.

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Deer Ticks  or black-legged tick (the type of tick that transmits Lyme Disease) are found in grassy areas (including lawns), brush, shrubs, and woodlands - particularly along trails. Ticks prefer moist humid areas. Due to climate change, migratory birds, and other factors, the range of where these ticks can be found, is growing and expanding all the time.

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At Royal City Animal Hospital in Guelph - as part of your dog's yearly spring check up for Heartworm disease, your veterinarian will also test for 3 tick borne diseases as well - Lyme Disease, Ehrlichiosis, and Anaplasmosis. 

More than Just a Heartworm Test.

TICK - TALK

Ticks

Did you know that when you bring your dog to Royal City Animal Hospital in Guelph for their Heartworm test, your dog is now tested for 3 important tick-borne diseases in addition to Heartworm each spring?
These diseases are Lyme Disease, Ehrlichiosis, and Anaplasmosis.

As the climate continues to change, the prevalence of many vector-borne diseases is rapidly increasing throughout Canada, not only in pets and wildlife, but in people as well. In 2011 the prevalence of positive tests have increased greatly with 49 dogs in Guelph testing positive for Lyme Disease.
Migratory birds and songbirds are helping to spread Lyme disease into areas further north than ever before.


Symptoms of lyme disease can range from mild joint stiffness to severe kidney disease and bleeding disorders.. Animals can  carry a low grade infection for years before they become ill. It is this sub-clinical stage that makes yearly screening so important.

Treatment is simple and effective as long as we catch it early. Speak with your veterinarian or Veterinary Technician today to learn more about Heartworm, Lyme and other tick-borne diseases.

Engorged Tick 

Many species of ticks