Ticks can do more than just irritate your pet. These parasites can pose serious health risks for you and your pet. Tick-borne diseases include:

Lyme Disease: Caused by bacteria carried by the deer tick, symptoms include lameness, swollen lymph nodes and joints, appetite loss, and fever. Severe cases can result in heart conditions, kidney disease, or nervous system disorders.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever: Transmitted by the Brown Dog Tick and the Lone Star Tick, symptoms include fever, lameness, appetite loss, nose bleeds, coughing and bruising. Severe cases can lead to multiple organ failure, seizures, stumbling, and death. 

Ehrlichiosis: This disease is caused by a rickettsial organism carried by the Brown Dog Tick and the Lone Star Tick. Symptoms include depression, reduced appetite, bruising, nose bleeds, painful joints, and fever. 

Anaplasmosis: The bacteria that cause canine anaplasmosis are transmitted by Deer Ticks, Western Black-legged tick and the Brown Dog Tick. It affects both dogs and cats. Signs of anaplasmosis include joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and nervous system disorders. 

Tick paralysis: This serious condition is caused by a toxin secreted by ticks, which affects the nervous system. Symptoms begin about a week after the animal is bitten. It begins with weakness in the rear legs and eventually all four limbs, followed by difficulting breathing and swallowing. Death can result if the condition progresses. 

How can you protect you and your pet? Treat dogs and cats with flea and tick prevention year-round. Make a tick check part of your daily routine, especially in warmer weather after time spent outdoors. The sooner the ticks are removed the less likely the chance of infection! Be sure to watch symptoms if you have removed ticks from your dog or cat and let us know immediately. AMSH Tulsa (918) 492-2674, AMSHE Broken Arrow (918) 355-5662.