April is Prevent Lyme Disease in Dogs Month! Ticks are parasites related to spiders that require a blood meal to survive. There are 4 life stages of the tick and three of these stages attach to a host such as a mouse, rat, raccoon, cat, dog, or human. Ticks can transmit many diseases to the host such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasma to name a few. We highly recommend that all dogs and outdoor cats be on a tick preventative at this time.
Our favorite product is called Bravecto. Bravecto for dogs is a chewy flavored treat that kills fleas and ticks for 3 months. Bravecto for cats is a topical liquid that is applied between the shoulder blades that kills fleas and ticks for 3 months. Contact us if you would like more information about ticks in our area.