Fleas and ticks: Protect your pet from these summer dangers in the woods
Photo by Flickr user SuperFantastic
Summer is the time of year when many of us grab the closest dog and head into the cool green spaces that Ann Arbor is known for.
Unfortunately, fleas and ticks are also enjoying the warm weather, living out their brief lives in the underbrush and woods where we love to romp.
Fleas have long been a summertime nuisance in southeast Michigan, but there is some evidence that the numbers and varieties of ticks in our area are increasing.
Ticks carry many blood-borne diseases, transmitted by their nasty habit of attaching to the host's skin and staying attached until they've filled their bodies with blood. When ticks first attach, they are almost impossible to find in a heavily coated dog, but they swell as they become engorged with blood, leading many people to think their pet has a small cyst or growth. In the process of feeding, the tick may transmit bacteria and disease directly into the host's bloodstream.
Perhaps the most well-known of these diseases is Lyme disease, named after the Connecticut community where it was first identified in people. Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium (Borrelia burgdorfi) that is transmitted through the bite of the blacklegged tick, sometimes called the deer tick. Basically, the tick bites an infected deer or rodent and then passes the disease along to your dog by attaching itself to the dog's skin for a blood meal.
Dogs infected with Lyme disease may display symptoms that include fever, loss of appetite, depression, lethargy, swelling and pain in one or more joints, shifting leg lameness, kidney disease, heart disease and nervous system disorders.
Most cats do not exhibit symptoms of Lyme disease, but the signs of illness in cats are similar to those in dogs and may also include eye problems, breathing disorders and possible sudden collapse.
Prevention is the best medicine, as always. If your dog spends a lot of time in wooded or brushy areas, especially in northern Michigan or Wisconsin, discuss vaccinating against this disease with your veterinarian. For the average pet, a good quality spot-on flea/tick product like Frontline Plus, now available over the counter, will prevent most tick-borne disease by preventing any long-term attachment of ticks.
For yourself, wearing long pants tucked into socks when in heavy brush helps to prevent the low-lying creatures from grabbing hold of your ankles or calves as you walk by. Insect repellents with DEET are also quite effective for you but not a good choice for your pet, who may ingest the spray when grooming his/her coat.
With a little planning and awareness of your environment, you and your canine companion can enjoy safe and healthy outdoor time in Michigan's beautiful woods.
Dr. Cathy Theisen is a house call veterinarian in Ann Arbor, with 24 years experience in small animal medicine and surgery. Visit her website at www.cathythevet.net, or e-mail questions/comments to cathythevet@comcast.net.
Comments
KathrynHahn
Fri, Jul 2, 2010 : 3:46 a.m.
I mentioned garlic, I buy the already minced "in a jar" stuff and use about 1 teaspoon per 40 lbs. of dog. It's enough to work, but none of my dogs have ever gotten sick from it, not sure who determined garlic was "poison" to dogs, but I do know that certain raw foods like onions can cause serious discomfort, but the garlic thing has always worked for me and those dogs lived long healthy lives. Flea-free at that....
bunnyabbot
Thu, Jul 1, 2010 : 3:30 p.m.
I think that as someone brought up using fresh garlic it should be noted that garlic is on the list of poisonious foods for dogs, granted small amounts seem to be ok but one would need to know how much would be too much for thier dogs.
treetowncartel
Thu, Jul 1, 2010 : 2:48 p.m.
@ Cathy, I couldn't agree more, medicine is a healing art, and as it burgeoned into an industry it some how became a science.
treetowncartel
Thu, Jul 1, 2010 : 2:17 p.m.
With respect to my experience, we were up north in a few different locations that summer. I suspect that is where the tick came from. The regimen brought him back, but it clearly took a lot out of him. I have done heartworm pills, and some of those topical applications for fleas and ticks, along with the collars, but once I had kids in my house I became a lot more suspect of using chemicals both inside and outside of the house. As to fleas, I have had my fair share of problems over the years too. Some dogs are more sensitive to them than others. Fleas also tend to be a nighborhood problem, Meaning there might be different pockets of the city/area that have them and others that don't. Co-mingling with another dog out on a walk at a park might be another way to get them. The worst infestations came when thre was an outdoor cat in the house. It seemed like they would bring them home and once they found the dog they were more than thankful for the ride. I think the next good topic would be removal of skunkodor.
Cathy Theisen DVM
Wed, Jun 30, 2010 : 8:21 a.m.
Jeff, I would not say that most dogs test positive after exposure to ticks...most dogs in this area will test negative. Remember, it's a very specific kind of tick that transmits Lyme disease, and it is not considered prevalent in Southeastern Michigan. Your veterinarian can easily do a blood test if you think your pet has been exposed, but, as treetowncartel noted, a negative test wouldn't stop me from going ahead with treatment if the clinical signs were there. Like most things in medicine, it's a nuance that makes veterinary practice an "art".
Cathy Theisen DVM
Wed, Jun 30, 2010 : 8:11 a.m.
Unfortunately, when it comes to the ticks that transmit Lyme disease, they are much too small to find on visual inspection, and so difficult to manually remove before they have attached, had a blood meal, and grown in size. It is thought that the tick has to be attached for 24-36 hours before disease can be transmitted. So, again, prevention is the best medicine here...
KathrynHahn
Wed, Jun 30, 2010 : 1:36 a.m.
@treetown I dislike the use of chemicals on my dogs too, but start them on fresh garlic in their food before the first thaw and after the first frost of each year. The scent of garlic on their skin has kept all fleas and mosquitos far away. I haven't seen a flea in over 15 yrs since I started the "garlic" diet(and that's a few different dogs). If the dogs don't like the taste, a little broth or gravy on the dry food helps it go down, or garlic pills. My Vet has had nothing negative to say about it either. It works, is natural and cheaper then the chemical alternative!
bunnyabbot
Tue, Jun 29, 2010 : 9:47 p.m.
I use frontline with my dog and as I massage my dog daily I can find anything that may stuck in his coat or if he has been scratched or something. Also, luckily, he has never had fleas or anything and as a result I haven't gotten bitten by any myself!
Jeff
Tue, Jun 29, 2010 : 5:43 p.m.
Given that ticks are a problem in the Ann Arbor area, every dog should be protected this time of year, as most dogs that are exposed to ticks test positive, but do not show any symptoms and are generally not treated. This site has some helpful guidance on lyme disease symptoms.
treetowncartel
Tue, Jun 29, 2010 : 4:18 p.m.
Our dog got Lyme disease years back when he was about four years old. The lethargy was amazing, an active mutt bsically became a statue. Thank goodness for the vet who decided rather than wait for the blood work to just begin the treatment protocol. I'm not a big fan of the chemicals in or on dogs. I stopped using those products several years aga and didn't notice any difference in the parasite population.