Tick Borne Disease:

Since 85% of confirmed cases of Lyme disease are in the northeastern part of the United States, we are considered to be a high-risk area. Specific diseases such as Lyme, Ehrlichiosis and Anaplasmosis are more common in certain areas. Cases of all 3 have been found in Franklin County. For every different environment in the United States, there is a tick that has adapted to that environment so no place is immune to them. Although ticks are primarily thought of as a “summer” problem, different ticks can be a problem at different times of the year. Consequently tick control, depending on the climate, can be a year-round battle. Since Lyme disease can be transmitted in as little as 24 hours, with peak transmission occurring by 72 hours, it is important to be thorough with tick control. Signs of Lyme disease in dogs include fever, lameness, lethargy, swollen lymph nodes and/or swollen, painful joints.

Tick Control:
The big challenge of fighting ticks is that tick control does not always equal tick borne disease control. If the tick control requires more time to reach full effectiveness or the tick has to bite the animal to receive a dose then the disease can still be transmitted. Quick kill of ticks is crucial to prevent the spread of disease. Unfortunately there isn’t any one product that can consistently keep ticks from attaching. For this reason, we recommend vaccinating against Lyme disease as well as using a preventative tick medication in dogs. In severe infestations, we recommend using a combination of tick medications in addition to vaccinating.

Prevention:
Since there are no tick control products that prevent transmission of tick borne diseases, we strongly recommend vaccination and tick control products as the main defenses in the fight against ticks.

*Something to keep in mind: most people are bitten and obtain Lyme disease in their own yards, so keeping your dog and its environment free of ticks is also a benefit for you.

Helpful hints to lower the number of ticks:
Because the nymphal stage is found in leaf litter, removing leaf litter around the perimeter of your yard can reduce ticks in that area by as much as 75-88%. Since the nymphal stage is the most active stage in the summer, it is often associated with the most cases of Lyme disease.
Houses that border on a wooded area should try a 3 foot-wide wood chip barrier. This can reduce the number of ticks coming across in the yard from the woods by 50% sine the vast majority of nymphal ticks are found within 1-3 feet from the edge of the grass.
Most yard treatments can provide 85-95% tick control with a single application in the early summer. Commonly used products include synthetic pyrethroids- look for this under the active ingredient list and follow all precautions and warnings.

**REMEMBER: Nothing is going to keep ticks from jumping on your pet, but if we can reduce the number of ticks and time attached, we can improve the health of our pets and ourselves!