Once a deer tick bites your pet, it’s highly likely that Lyme disease will be a health issue. It has been reported that this disease causes weakness, fever, joint swelling, lameness, pain, loss of appetite, and stiffness. Your pet can contract this disease easily if you don’t know how to fight it. To do so, here are some of the effective ways to prevent Lyme disease from affecting your pet.
Safeguard Yourself
You are your pet’s primary care provider. Experts suggest that it is best that you protect yourself well when you clean your yard or if you go into grassy or woody areas. Wear treated clothing and spray your exposed skin with tick repellent. When you get back, remove your protective clothing and check yourself for ticks first before you enter your house. Don’t forget to shower immediately as well.
Inspect Your Pet for Ticks Every Day
Make it a habit to inspect your pet for small bumps. Running your fingers through your pet’s fur is an effective way to do this. The bumps may be engorged ticks attached to your pet’s skin. Be sure to be thorough when you inspect your pet for ticks. Search your pet’s groin, jaws, muzzle, eyelids, eyes, neck, chest, tail, ears, scalp, and paws. When you do find a tick, get a pair of tweezers to pull it up and out with care. There could some bleeding when you pull the tick out. Disinfect the bite site with some diluted hydrogen peroxide.
Care for Your Yard
Visit your yard regularly. Be sure to mow your lawn, pull out weeds, trim bushes, and clear out the dead leaves. Remove any tick attracting item along the perimeter of your property. Such are unused driftwood, unused pots, and old benches. Check your outer walls and fencing as well. Ticks love to hide in them. Experts say that you should also make sure you clear any trash from your yard and dispose of them properly. Garbage attracts rodents that usually carry deer ticks.
Consider the Lyme Disease Vaccine
If your pet has never contracted Lyme disease before, ask your vet about the Lyme disease vaccine. Studies report that vaccinating your dog with Lyme disease vaccine can protect your dog from the Lyme bacterium infection. This vaccine should be given two times, with an interval of two to four weeks. After this, your pet should receive an annual booster.
Give Tick Preventives
Ask your vet for the ideal tick repellent products for your pet. These products vary in effectiveness and safety. You can use tick powder, tick shampoo, or tick collars. You can also talk to your vet about natural tick repellents that you can get from your pantry.
Keeping infected deer ticks away from you and your pet can keep your pet safe from Lyme disease. We, at Manson Veterinary Clinic, aim to help you protect your pet from this debilitating tick-borne condition. Please call us at 712-847-8200, if you want to set an appointment or if you have any questions. Better yet, you can drop by our clinic in Manson, Iowa, for a walk-in consultation.
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