A hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners & lots of local news
A hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners & lots of local news
In Minnesota, there are about a dozen different types of ticks. Not all of them spread disease. Three types that people may come across in Minnesota are the blacklegged tick (deer tick), at the bottom of this photo; the American dog tick (wood tick), seen in the upper right; and the lone star tick. The blacklegged tick causes by far the most tickborne disease in Minnesota. People in Minnesota are often bitten by American dog ticks but they rarely spread diseases. American dog ticks may spread Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia. Lone star ticks are rarely found in Minnesota, but can spread diseases such as ehrlichiosis and tularemia.
The snow has melted, the grass is turning green, and the weather is warming up. This can only mean one thing: It's tick season.
Ticks can be out at any time of year, but they have surges in the spring and fall. Although ticks can infest any mammal, dogs seem to be at a higher risk. This may be due to a combination of reasons. Dogs run through the bushes and grass where ticks are found, their fur makes it harder to see the ticks, and they are not the fastidious groomers that cats are. Cats can have ticks as well, but they tend to groom and remove the ticks almost immediately.
Ticks are gross, which should be reason enough to make sure your pet has good tick control. But ticks also spread diseases that can make you and your pet sick. The two most common tick diseases found in dogs in northern Minnesota are Lyme and anaplasmosis.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 20 percent of dogs in Carlton County test positive for anaplasmosis and/or Lyme. Both of these diseases cause similar signs in dogs: lameness and painful joints, sometimes shifting from one leg to another, fever, anorexia and lethargy.
The good news is that these diseases can be treated with antibiotics. The bad news is that not every dog improves on antibiotics - some can develop permanent joint damage, life-threatening kidney disease, or bleeding disorders.
Lyme and anaplasmosis are spread by the deer tick. The deer tick needs to be attached to your pet for only 12 to 48 hours ito transmit a tick disease. Deer ticks are much smaller than the American dog tick, or wood tick - the other tick commonly found in northern Minnesota. Because of their small size, you are not likely to see them on your dog. They may attach, transmit disease, fill with blood and fall off without your knowing, even if you are checking your dog every day. In at least half of the cases of tickborne illnesses I diagnose in dogs, the owner had no idea their dog even had a tick. This is why tick prevention is so important.
There are many tick preventives available, ranging from collars, topical treatments, to oral pills. It has been found that oral tablets are far superior at killing ticks and preventing disease transmission. The oral tablets can cause seizures in very rare cases. Topical treatments can also be a good option, depending on how much time your dog spends in the water. There are many over-the-counter topicals and it's important to be cautious. Some contain pesticides that are toxic to cats and small dogs. I strongly advise working with your veterinarian to determine which tick measure is best for your pet.
A vaccine for Lyme can help keep your dog from getting sick if exposed. The vaccine should be used in combination with good tick control, not as a substitution. A vaccine for anaplasmosis hasn't been developed yet and a vaccinated pet is still at risk for contracting tick disease. To keep your dog as safe as possible, veterinarians advise a yearly Lyme vaccine and year-round tick control, because ticks have been found every month of the year in Minnesota.
Jennifer Shepherd is a veterinarian and co-owner of Cloquet Animal Hospital.
