April is Lyme Disease Prevention Month for Dogs and Cats

​Did you know that 300,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme Disease in the US each year?  That is 1.5 times more than are diagnosed with breast cancer and 6 times more than are diagnosed with HIV/AIDS annually.  Over the past 5 years, there have been 13,881 reported cases of Lyme Disease in dogs in Illinois.

Many dogs do not show symptoms until it is too late.  The most common signs seen are shifting leg lameness, fatigue, and reluctance to move (due to pain).  A blood test is all it takes to diagnose Lyme Disease, the difficulty is recognizing the signs.  Often the signs emerge months after the tick bite.
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The website below has great instructions on how to remove ticks.  It is extremely important to remove the mouthparts in order to protect yourself and your pet.
https://www.lymedisease.org/lyme-basics/ticks/tick-removal/

You can help prevent ticks in your yard by keeping the yard well landscaped.  See the website listed below for tips.
https://www.lymedisease.org/lyme-basics/ticks/landscape/

Lyme Disease is considered a zoonotic disease, meaning it can infect both people and animals.  It has not been reported that Lyme Disease can be passed from dog to human, but the incidence rates in people typically follow the trends in dogs because people are usually with their dogs, thus having the same exposure to ticks.

Our mission is to provide high quality, compassionate veterinary care with a personal touch.  We strive to maintain a friendly and comfortable environment for pets and owners and are committed to building strong, respectful, and honest relationships with our clients.  Through teamwork, we are dedicated to ensuring the best care possible and treating pets as if they were our own. 
​Call us today if you need to get your pet on tick prevention this spring, 217-529-4499! 

(Information from www.lymedisease.org and www.dogsandticks.com)
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