The Facts About Ticks and Lyme Disease

September 6, 2017

 

If ever you were afraid to go into the woods, now would be the time. With the news full of reports of tick activity and Lyme Disease, it’s a wonder we venture anywhere near these deer habitats.

 

So let’s take a look at some of the facts and find out more about ticks and Lyme Disease — and, just as importantly, what actually protects your dog.

 

Facts About Ticks

 

  • Not all ticks carry the borrelia bacteria that causes Lyme Disease.
  • In North America, Lyme Disease is spread by blacklegged ticks — also known as deer ticks — but they are not the only tick worth worrying about.
  • Ticks feed on blood at every active stage of life: larvae, nymphs, and adults all take blood meals. The idea that only females bite is a myth.
  • Nymphs and adult female blacklegged ticks are responsible for most Lyme transmission. Nymphs are about the size of a poppy seed, which makes them very easy to miss.
  • Other common ticks — the brown dog tick, American dog tick, Rocky Mountain wood tick, and lone star tick — don’t spread Lyme Disease, but they can transmit other illnesses to dogs and people, so every tick is worth removing promptly.

 

 

Stats About Lyme Disease

 

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, in 2015, some 700 people sought medical care for Lyme Disease and tick bites.

 

In 2009, 128 people were reportedly infected. That’s quite a jump in cases of Lyme Disease.

 

In 2013, Ottawa Public Health reported 47 human cases of Lyme Disease.

 

Rouge Valley in Ontario has become a hotspot for ticks to thrive. In 2016, Toronto Public Health reported 23 cases of Lyme Disease. 

 

The trend in those numbers is the real story: reported cases have been climbing year over year as ticks expand their range.

 

 

Lyme Disease Around the World

 

  • In the UK, Public Health England has estimated that around 10% of ticks carry the borrelia bacteria.
  • In the UK, roughly 3,000 people get Lyme Disease a year.
  • In the US, an estimated 300,000 people get Lyme Disease per year.

 

Rising temperatures and damp conditions have contributed to an increase in tick-friendly areas, and many ticks arrive in new regions on the backs of migrating birds. If the current climate trend continues, ticks — and Lyme Disease — will keep spreading into places that never used to see them.

 

Canine Lyme Disease

 

Dogs can and do get Lyme Disease, and because they love long grass and bushy undergrowth, they encounter ticks far more often than we do. 

 

The good news: it’s general veterinary consensus that most dogs exposed to the bacteria never become visibly ill. When dogs do get sick, the classic signs are lameness that seems to shift from leg to leg, fever, lethargy, swollen joints, and loss of appetite — sometimes weeks or months after the bite. Rarely, Lyme Disease can affect a dog’s kidneys, which is serious.

 

If your dog shows any of these signs, or if you find an engorged tick and your dog later seems unwell, call your veterinarian. There are simple blood tests for exposure, and vets see far more tick trouble than the rest of us — they are exactly the right people to guide testing and treatment.

 

How Can You Protect Your Dog From Lyme Disease?

 

In most cases a tick needs to stay attached and feeding for a day or more — often 36 hours or longer — before it transmits the disease. That’s why prevention plus a thorough tick check after every walk is such a powerful combination. Here’s a checklist:

 

  • Use a vet-recommended tick preventive. Modern prescription preventives (chews, topicals, and certain collars) are the single most effective protection dogs have against ticks. Ask your veterinarian which product suits your dog — never guess at products or doses yourself, and never use a dog product on a cat.
  • Ask your veterinarian whether the canine Lyme Disease vaccine makes sense for your dog. (There’s no vaccine against ticks themselves — the vaccine targets the Lyme bacteria, and your vet can tell you if your dog is a good candidate.)
  • Try to stick to woodland paths and park walkways.
  • Avoid tall grass and bushes.
  • Wear long pants and long sleeves, preferably light-coloured clothing so ticks are easier to spot.
  • Take a flea comb to your dog after your walk and check for ticks — pay special attention to the ears, face, armpits, groin, between the toes, and under the collar.
  • Check yourself for ticks too, and watch for the typical red bull’s-eye rash on your own skin. (Dogs rarely show a rash, which is why the hands-on check matters so much for them.)
  • Use an insect repellent designed for ticks on yourself — but only on yourself. Human repellents and essential oils are not safe substitutes for canine preventives, and some essential oils are toxic to pets.
  • If you find an attached tick, grasp it with fine-tipped tweezers as close to the skin as possible and pull straight out with slow, steady pressure. Never burn a tick, smother it in petroleum jelly, or twist it off. If you’re not confident removing it, your vet clinic can do it quickly.

 

If you follow these tips, you and your dog can still enjoy the great outdoors. 

 

And remember: not every tick carries Lyme Disease, and even an infected tick usually needs many hours of feeding to pass it on. Prevention from your vet, a careful check after each walk, and prompt removal keep the risk from any single bite low. 

 

By Natalie Secretan

 

Photo credit: Maja Dumat ~ Lachend in den Juni

 

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