Tick Season Is Here!

Tick season typically begins sometime in March and will last well into June. Some varities of ticks may remain active through all warm weather. Ticks can carry a variety of diseases that affect both humans and their four-legged companions. The big four in the tick world—the deer tick, the brown dog tick, the lone star tick, and the American dog tick—can all be found in Ohio. The most common diseases from ticks are Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme disease, although research is beginning to show that ticks can carry a wide variety of diseases. All of these can be dangerous, and some can actually cause death if they go untreated.

Prevention is the key to not contracting one of these diseases. We are using Vectra®  here for tick and flea prevention. It is applied once a month for tick and flea control. We have tried tick collars, and they do work in most cases, and we have seen skin reactions on a few dogs. Depending on your dog’s lifestyle, it may need both tick and flea preventative or possibly just flea prevention. Whatever you choose, be sure to read the label to make sure it is safe for your pet! You can also call us and discuss the treatment options that would be best for your pet.

The following is a link to a website that has information on ticks. It also has an inactive map that by putting in your zip code in the section “Diseases in Your Area”, you can find specific information about tick-borne cases within that locale.  www.dogsandticks.com