Lyme Vaccination:

Did you know dogs can get Lyme disease too? Lyme disease is spread by the black-legged (deer) tick which is in our area and can cause joint pain, depression and even kidney failure. Make sure your dog is vaccinated against Lyme disease. Call and schedule an appointment today!

LYME Disease - New Insight 

Lyme disease and other tick-born diseases are  now a nation-wide problem, with more pets and people being diagnosed across the country than ever before.  We used to think that these illnesses were only common in the northeast and the south, but  recent advances in testing have uncovered a bigger problem than was originally thought.

Lyme disease can be very elusive, as there are different stages to the illness. Initially, there may be a fever and generic signs of illness, like vomiting. The tell-tale bulls-eye target lesion is NOT usually found on pets. Advanced illness can show as arthritis, kidney disease, or neurological signs. Treatment involves antibiotics. The Lyme organism is best known for causing  secondary problems that involve the immune system and can be worse than the lyme illness itself. Conditions such as Lupus or rheumatoid arthritis may be triggered by Lyme disease.

NEW TESTING is available that can determine  if your pet has been exposed to the disease, or if your pet may currently be ill from it. These diagnostics can also help veterinarians determine the need to treat or not.

PREVENTION:  A tick ,must be attached to a pet for 24-36 hours before the disease is transmitted , so the best way to prevent tick diseases is to remove the tick as soon as possible.  To remove a tick, simply grab the head with tweezers and gently pull it out.  It is NOT recommended to burn or drown the tick, as it then vomits the Lyme organism back into the pet's skin when it is stressed.

TICK CONTROL helps. Products like ADVANTIX, FRONTLINE,  or tick collars can help decrease the number of ticks on your pet, but no product is 100 % effective.

NEW VACCINES  are Safe and Effective. If your pet is in the woods or tall brush a lot, or you find ticks on your pet every year, you may want to consider vaccinating your pet.  The vaccine can be administered by a technician, and the first time vaccine recipients must get a booster 2-4 weeks later. This vaccine also requires a yearly booster.