Lyme Disease Awareness: Tips to Protect Your Pets

Over 300,000 Americans are diagnosed with Lyme Disease each year; and this can be prevented if individuals take precautionary steps to quickly, but effectively, remove ticks from the skin. Here is what outdoor enthusiasts should know about ticks.

Deer ticks, and other tick species, do not fly or jump; but instead, they crawl from the ground up. Therefore, it's important to check for ticks on the ankles and arms when coming inside from playing with pets, or gardening. Wearing long-sleeves that are brightly colored will help spot ticks on the body, too.

If a tick is embedded in the skin, do not panic. Use a tick remover tool to gently remove the tick body and take the tick to a medical professional for ID'ing.

Like people, pets can get Lyme Disease and other tick-borne illnesses. Be sure to check for ticks on pets after outdoor playtime, as well.

May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month.