Ticks are not only a gross nuisance—they pose significant health risks to pets. These tiny arachnids are vectors for several diseases that can affect your furry companion’s health. Our Creature Comforts Veterinary Service team wants to help pet owners understand tick diseases to minimize their pet’s risk. We explore the most common tick-borne diseases in pets, their signs, and preventive measures to safeguard your four-legged friend. 

Common tick-borne diseases in pets

Ticks can transmit several diseases that cause a range of health issues in dogs and cats.  Some common tick-borne diseases that affect pets include:

  • Lyme disease — This well-known disease is caused by the pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted when an infected black-legged tick bites a pet. Lyme disease signs include lameness, fever, loss of appetite, joint swelling, and lethargy. Untreated Lyme disease can eventually cause irreversible kidney damage.
  • Ehrlichiosis — This disease is transmitted by brown dog and lone star ticks. Ehrlichiosis signs include fever, lethargy, enlarged lymph nodes, respiratory distress, and in severe cases, bleeding and neurological problems.
  • Anaplasmosis — Anaplasmosis is an infection caused by black-legged and western black-legged ticks. Similar to Lyme disease, common signs include fever, joint pain, lethargy, and sometimes gastrointestinal (GI) issues.
  • Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) —  Rocky Mountain spotted fever primarily infects dogs and, in rare cases, cats. Signs include fever, lethargy, joint pain, abdominal pain, vomiting, and sometimes neurological issues such as seizures. RMSF is transmitted when an infected American dog tick, Rocky Mountain wood tick, or the brown dog tick bites.
  • Babesiosis — Babesiosis is a tick-borne infection whose signs include hemolytic anemia, fever, lethargy, dark urine, and jaundice. The brown dog tick is the primary carrier of this disease, which can affect dogs and cats.

Tick prevention for your pet

Tick species were once seen primarily in woodlands, but are now found everywhere in the United States. While keeping your furry friend away from tick exposure entirely is impossible, the following steps can minimize tick threats:

  • Annual wellness exams — Regular visits to our veterinarian can help in early detection and treatment of tick-borne diseases. We will perform blood tests to check for infections and screen for parasitic diseases like heartworm disease. Most importantly, we can recommend parasite prevention protocols.
  • Tick preventives —  Our Creature Comforts Veterinary Service veterinarian will formulate a tick prevention plan, which offers the best protection against tick-borne illnesses. We will recommend the best product for your pet, which may be a monthly oral or a topical medication that will provide year-round protection from ticks and other parasites.
  • Regular tick checks — Always thoroughly check your pet’s body after spending time outdoors, especially in tick-prone areas. Pay special attention to your pet’s ears, under their collar, between their toes, and under their tail, where ticks most like to hide.
  • Environmental control — Maintain a tick-free yard as much as possible by regularly mowing the lawn, removing leaf litter, and creating a tick barrier with wood chips or gravel between wooded areas and your lawn. Consider professional pest control treatments in high-risk areas.
  • Avoiding tick-infested areas — You may wish to walk, hike, or hunt with your dog this summer. These activities provide good exercise, fresh air, and sunshine, but you must choose your paths and trails carefully. Walk with your pet on well-groomed paths, parks, and trails, and avoid dense woods or tall grasses where ticks like to hide.

Tick-borne diseases pose a serious threat to your four-legged friend, but you can minimize their risk by choosing outdoor areas carefully, maintaining your pet’s tick preventives, regularly checking for ticks, and managing their home environment. However, ticks are sneaky creatures, and if you are concerned about a tick bite or your pet is showing tick-borne illness signs, contact our Creature Comforts Veterinary Service team.