Are you concerned about tick problems? If you enjoy the outdoors with your dog and there are ticks in your environment, you need to be aware of the dangers that ticks can pose.

Dog ticks are small in size, however, in large enough numbers, and they can cause significant blood loss and many serious diseases. Ticks can carry dangerous disease organisms such as spirochetes, bacteria, Rickettsia, and protozoans. These organisms may be transmitted through the tick to your dog, and this can happen within the first 24 hours of the tick attaching to your dog.

Serious tick-borne diseases you need to be aware of include:
Lyme disease – transmitted by the black legged tick
Ehrlichiosis ¬– transmitted by the brown dog tick
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever – transmitted by the American dog tick
Hepatozoonosis – transmitted by the Gulf Coast tick and the common brown tick
Babesiosis ¬– transmitted by the brown dog tick, but can also be transmitted from dog to dog through blood transfer
Anaplasmosis – transmitted by the black legged deer tick

Many of the tick-borne diseases are zoonotic, which means they can infect people as well as pets. These disorders are particularly dangerous for the young, seniors, and those with compromised immune systems. Check both you and your dog after that walk in the woods or along a beautiful lake. If you live in tick-infested areas, check your dog daily – prevention is key to optimum health. Make sure your dog stays free of ticks and provide your dog with optimum nutrition to keep their immune system strong.