Lyme Disease Month - Awareness Month Guide
May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month because this month is the heart of tick season. Now that spring is here, pet owners are out taking their dogs for walks or to the dog park to play with other animals. And, the grassy areas are where ticks hide out most in search of their next blood meal.
Not all ticks carry Lyme Disease, or diseases at all - but when a tick is embedded in your skin [or your pet's skin], there really isn't time to flip a coin to see how lucky you might be. Lyme Disease affects over 300,000 individuals each year including over 100000 dogs in the United States. This year alone, there have already been close to 74000 dogs that have positively tested for Lyme out of 1 million tested!
Lyme Disease leaves individuals feeling weak, sick and bed-ridden. Dogs with Lyme will feel lethargic, weak and unable to eat. They will have an increase in blood pressure and will experience excessive drooling.
Pet owners should groom dogs regularly in search of ticks. Ticks like to hide in the fur in the following regions:
- Between toes
- In the groin area
- Underneath dog collars/clothes
- Elbows
- Under the tail
- In and around the ears
Removing a tick is easy; but don't give in to common myths such as burning the tick with a match; applying nail polish remover; and picking the tick off with your fingers.