Paw Prints
By Mark D Newkirk VMD
I think it’s safe to say that we all hate ticks. And we all know that using tick killing products on our pets is important. But what many people don’t know is the danger of diseases transmitted by those same ticks.
Most people know about Lyme disease. But many people do not know about other diseases these ticks can transmit such as Anaplasma and Erlichiosis. And like Lyme, many times these diseases either don’t show symptoms, or symptoms seem to “come and go”, so owners do not realize the pet is sick.
This is why annual screening for these diseases in important. The so called “deer tick” is not the only tick that can transmit these diseases. I would estimate that my office will find an average of one or two positive dogs every week. So tick control, and Lyme vaccine are very important things to do for your dog. Strangely enough, it seems cats do not get any of these diseases.
Lyme disease typically causes lameness and joint pain. However, this lameness can come and go, and can shift from leg to leg over time, so often times the disease is “hidden” for a long time but is inside causing damage. Strangely, often the dog is visibly limping yet the doctor can not elicit the pain on examination! So once again, testing is so important.
However an emerging problem is the relationship between Lyme disease and chronic kidney disease in dogs. A retrospective study done by Idexx Veterinary Laboratories, examined over 800,000 blood samples. What they found was that dogs with Lyme disease had a 43% higher risk of kidney disease. And for Erlichia, another tick borne infectious agent, there was a 300% higher risk of kidney disease.
You can see now the importance of blood testing each year. Veterinarians can run a simple test right in the office, which screens for Lyme, Erlichia and Anaplasma as well as Heartworm. This test requires only a very small amount of blood and will give an answer within 10-12 minutes. If a pet is positive, we then start the antibiotic Doxycycline for 30 days. Also now available, is a very sensitive test called SDMA, that will screen for early kidney disease. If present, then other steps are taken to start treating the kidney. As we all know, finding disease early on is important.
Another important point. There is no such thing as a tick “preventative” despite what labels say. Nothing will keep ticks off your pet. The object of these tick treatments is that hopefully the tick is killed within a few hours of the time that it bites into the dog. This is important as it is thought that tick diseases are not transmitted unless the tick (or it’s head) remains attached to the dog for 6-24 hours. Since the disease is transmitted by the ticks saliva, this is the reason why the head must be removed. (note, this is a simplified version of disease transmission for the purpose of this article)
For tick control, there are several products from topical to oral to collars. You should talk with your veterinarian about each and make an informed decision about what would be best for your pet and for your family. BEWARE of counterfeit products! There are many of them out there since unlike heartworm medication, these products are not prescription based and thus are widely available. Also if you have cats that go outdoors, they can carry the ticks inside to you and to your dog, so even though they don’t get the disease, that tick can drop off the cat and find your dog, or you, and give you the disease.
The tick disease screening test is easy and quick. If the tests are all negative, then there is great peace of mind for you and good health for your best friend. Make sure your pet is tested yearly.
As a Veterinarian, Dr. Newkirk has been serving Southern New Jersey for over 38 years. He is extensively trained in medicine and surgery and also is skilled in the care of exotic pets such as reptiles and birds.
