We all know that ticks transmit Lyme’s Disease. But did you know that Lyme’s is only one of several tick-borne illnesses? Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Anaplasmosis and Ehrlichia for example are also passed via tick bites, and humans and pets can get them (cats can get Ehrlichia, and though they can test positive for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever they generally do not experience symptoms). Every household needs a tick prevention plan.
And did you know that ticks are most likely to transmit diseases when they are in the nymph stage, literally smaller than the head of a pin? Or, that as a result of the increase in average temperature, there’s no ‘off-season’ for ticks in New England anymore? My pug Zip contracted ehrlichia mid-February in Boston two winters ago. He started walking extremely slowly, all of a sudden, and for just a moment I thought he was over-exercising his Pug veto power. But got him to the vet and on antibiotics right away, and a blood test confirmed the diagnosis. He recovered fully and quickly. Before that, ticks never used to be on my radar till April.
How do you know if your pet has contracted a tick-borne illness? Symptoms are similar in dogs and cats and include swollen lymph nodes, fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, and swelling and/or pain in the joints. At the first sign of symptoms, call your vet. Early detection (with a blood test) and treatment with antibiotics usually means full recovery. If allowed to develop in the body, the illnesses can become very serious. Because antibiotics are generally broad-spectrum, they can’t tell ‘good’ from ‘bad’ bacteria, so adding a good probiotic to your pet’s food will help the body regain its health.
How do you prevent tick-borne illnesses? Every household needs a prevention plan. A wise plan integrates multiple lines of defense, with good nutrition as its foundation, to build the body’s own ability to repel parasites and shed illnesses if contracted. A clean diet helps to build a healthy immune system, and supplementation can help make the smell of your pets less appetizing to pests. Monitoring closely and regularly to find and remove any ticks is critical too…and please don’t trust that using chemical ‘top spot’ treatments means you are off the hook on taking off ticks. Natural essential oil-infused shampoos and sprays add another layer of deterrence, which together with immune system boosting may be enough to repel ticks in low risk areas. Essential oils are potent. Every year of our 15 years, we have customers turning to the all-natural products when the chemicals fail. On the other hand, the risk of a tick borne illness is serious, so there is a place for the chemicals these days, and some are more effective than others. Consider avoiding tick-prone areas. If you can’t or aren’t willing to do that, consider using a Seresto Tick Collar. It has a 99% effectiveness rating in killing ticks. We don’t like using chemicals, so only use them if you’ll be spending time in a high-risk area.
So remember: nutrition, supplementation, monitoring, bathing, avoiding tick-infested areas, and if or when you need them the chemicals are there as a back up. In another post we’ll discuss preventatives (like magnetic tags) more in-depth. But start thinking about your plan now, before the first tick ‘blooms’ in New England.
TIP: When coming in from a hike in the woods or high grass, remove all your clothes and put them through a hot dryer cycle. The temperature is hot enough to kill ticks. Inspect yourself and your pet and carefully remove any ticks you find using a safe tool like the Tick Key.