Ticks are on the rise and they will continue to expand northward at approximately 46km per year. They can be found in areas of Southern British Columbia, southeastern and south central Manitoba, southern, eastern and northwestern Ontario, southern Quebec, southern New Brunswick and parts of Nova Scotia.
Our most common ticks are the American brown tick, the deer tick and the black legged tick. Ticks can carry bacteria. Once a dog is bitten they may become infected with diseases such as Lyme’s disease. A commonly asked question is can these diseases be transmitted from dog to people and the answer is no but if ticks are in the area, people are at risk as well from tick bites.
Ticks do not pay attention to the calendar. They can become active as early as March as long as temperatures reach +4 degrees Celsius. Risks may not be 365 days a year, but it is 12 months out of the year. If you look at our temperatures in November and December we had many days of over 4 degrees.
What can we do together?
Get informed, call us we can help you understand canine parasitic diseases. Early intervention is important for a lifetime of good health.
Let us put your dog on a prevention right away for ticks. If your dog has been seen within the year all we need is for you to bring your pet in for a weigh in and we can dispense the appropriate medication.
A screening test can be performed during one of your visits to see if your dog has been exposed to these diseases such as Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis or heartworm.
Call our office today we would be happy to help you!
