People usually associate Lyme disease with human beings but it also is a threat to dogs and cats. Almost every pet owner in the State of Connecticut has encountered a tick on their pets at some point. The dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) and the deer tick (Ixodes scapularis) are the two most commonly found ticks in Connecticut. Lyme disease is caused by the bite of an infected deer tick. Deer ticks are extremely small, about the size of a pinhead. Their life cycle consists of four stages and takes about 2 years to complete. Throughout their life cycle they need blood meals to pass from larva, to nymph, to adult, and this is where your pets play a vital role. Ticks can easily go undetected in your pet’s fur for days, which is why we recommend doing DAILY tick checks. Using tick prevention products recommended by your veterinary, such as Frontline and Topspot, is strongly suggested, especially if you take your pets off your property and into an area that may have a dense population of ticks.

Pets can carry ticks into your house and expose everyone to a tick bite. Ticks can live in your house for up to 3 days before desiccating (drying up) due to a lack of moisture and humidity. Sleeping with your pets puts you at risk because a tick can easily migrate to you in the middle of the night and go undetected. Using a containment system for your pets (i.e. fencing or even invisible fencing) and implementing a tick management program within this area will drastically lower your pet’s exposure to ticks.

Symptoms of Canine Lyme Disease

• Limping
• Lymph node swelling in the affected limb
• Lameness
• Fever
• Loss of appetite

In addition, the bacteria can affect the dog’s heart muscle, nerve tissue, eyes and kidneys.

If the disease is diagnosed in time, antibiotics treatments can cure the dog before permanent nerve or joint damage occurs.

Cats get Lyme disease as well, but less commonly because they are apt to groom themselves before the tick attaches itself.

Symptoms of Feline Lyme Disease

• Hesitant about jumping or climbing
• Limping
• Pain in muscles or joints
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Loss of appetite

Feline Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics, which are effective if treatment is started early. Cats that have Lyme disease may become re-infected through subsequent tick bites.

If you visit parks or unfamiliar areas, you should walk your pets in the center of a path and avoid brushy areas, leaf litter and brush piles. Conducting a tick check after visiting these areas is strongly recommended, check between toes, around eyes, ears, and skin folds. Prompt and appropriate tick removal can prevent transmission of the Lyme disease bacteria.