The oral prevention against ticks (chewable cube) must be administered from April to December.
Three ticks analysed in laboratory in the last two weeks of November were identified as carriers of the bacteria that causes Lyme disease (Borrelia Burgdorferi). These ticks were removed from the bodies of three different dogs, patients at L’Hôpital Vétérinaire de L’Île-Perrot. We established that these ticks were definitely caught on the island of Ile-Perrot, since none of the dogs had ventured off the island in the three weeks leading up to their discovery on their bodies. None of the dogs were receiving a preventive medication for ticks.
The presence of ticks on Ile-Perrot is nothing new. What is new, and of particular concern, is the increased presence of the tick Ixodes Scapularis, which is the only type of tick responsible for Lyme disease in our region. In fact, the majority of ticks analysed by our hospital in the past two years have been Ixodes Scapularis.
Every year the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec (INSPQ) publishes a report entitled Survey of Lyme Disease. For the years 2014 and 2015 it is mentioned that approximately 20% of ticks identified as Ixodes Scapularis in the Montérégie were carriers of the bacteria that causes Lyme. Considering the numbers published by the INSPQ it is then very surprising to suddenly find 3 ticks on 3 testing positive for the bacteria Borrelia Burgdorferi, suggesting that the number may, in reality, be much higher.
Since the beginning of November we have removed many ticks from our patients, given that autumn is a peak season for tick activity (October until the end of December). The other peak season is the spring, roughly the beginning of April until June. These periods correspond with the time when ticks are actively in search of a source of food.
The topical prevention against ticks (vial of liquid on the skin) must be administered from April to December.
On a positive note, the majority of dogs exposed to a tick carrying Borrelia Burgdorferi never develop Lyme disease, but will develop antibodies. Others will exhibit symptoms of the classic form of Lyme disease: fever, weakness, lameness in one leg, then another, loss of appetite. The not so lucky dogs will develop a very severe and sometimes fatal form of the disease implicating the kidneys.
Once a tick carrying Borrelia Burgdorferi is found on your dog, a blood test called the 4Dx is recommended about 6 weeks after the initial bite. The 4Dx detects antibodies that are produced in response to the multiplication of Borrelia Burgdorferi in the body of the patient. A positive result confirms the transmission of the infection.
If this first test is positive, another test will be done to quantify the antibodies (Lyme Quant C6). The decision to treat the dog for Lyme with doxycyline will be made based upon the results of this test, the presence, or not, of symptoms of the disease, and other pertinent factors determined by the practitioner.
Knowing that the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease is active on Ile- Perrot should be enough of an incentive to treat all dogs that lead active outdoor lives with a prevention. Ticks are found in tall grasses in woods, at the edges of yards, under trees, etc. In treating your dog with an adequate preventive medicine, you will limit his or her risk of developing the most severe form of Lyme disease as well as diminishing the risk of finding ticks in your immediate environment.
The analysis of ticks removed from our patients plays an important role in public health. The identification of ticks testing positive for Borrelia in our environment not only means taking measures to protect our dogs, but also ourselves and our family members. Humans are, in fact, more susceptible to Lyme disease than dogs. For this reason, it is extremely important to always wear gloves when removing a tick from your pet, wear long clothes that cover the entire body when walking in wooded areas, and inspect your legs, clothing, and your dogs carefully upon return from the forest or field. All ticks found attached to your dog should be analysed.
Prevention of ticks is relatively easy with the application of a topical treatment (K-9 Advantix) or by administering an oral medication (Nexguard, Bravecto, or Simparica). Treatment should be started in April and continued each month through December, for a total of 9 months. Dog owners have been known to forget the last doses of the season (November and December). These two months of prevention are as equally important as the others, as we have witnessed here at the hospital.
For more information, please consult our article entitled TICKS or call our clinic to speak to one of our team members.