Are you Ready for Tick Season?
Ticks are usually a summer time phenomenon. Now, though, with the weather staying warmer longer, tick season is almost year round. Where there are ticks there is also the threat of lyme disease, for both humans and pets.
Lyme disease is spread through the bites of ticks, most commonly the deer tick, or black-legged tick. They themselves don’t cause lyme disease but they do carry the bacteria that causes it: Borrelia burgdorferi. When a tick latches onto a deer, dog, cat or even a human, it releases the bacteria. Deer ticks seem to prefer dogs and other animals but it is possible for cats to become infected, too.
When a tick bites an animal, it can take from 18 hours to two days for the bacteria to transfer to it. That means a tick has to be attached to your cat for that long. The good news is that, because cats are frequent and thorough groomers, they will likely get rid of a tick before it has a chance to be there 18 hours.
Even indoor cats can get exposed to lyme disease if a tick gets carried inside on long pants, socks or another pet. The risk is much lower for them, but it’s still there. It’s also important to note that your cat cannot give you lyme disease.
If a cat has been bitten by a deer tick, the problem is in detecting any symptoms of lyme disease – they don’t always show the clinical signs the way they’d appear in people or dogs. So, as with all things related to a cat’s health, owners have to be vigilant! According to petmd.com here are some signs of lyme disease to look for your cat:
Lyme disease is treatable in cats using antibiotics and it may take more than one round of them to get rid of it. It’s also critical to begin treatment quickly. If you’re concerned because you’ve seen a tick bite on your cat, go to your vet immediately. Using a complete blood work-up, urinalysis and reviewing your cat’s history, the vet will be able to determine if Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria is present. It’s also important for the vet to see the tick bite itself, to look for any remnant of the tick that might still be there.
So, keep your cats safe. Be aware, check your cat for ticks and watch or any unusual behavior! It’s important to know what your cat’s “normal” is and to act fast if you notice something unusual.
CLICK HERE to read the petmed.com article on lyme disease.
CLICK HERE to read about indoor cats and lyme disease.
Lyme disease is spread through the bites of ticks, most commonly the deer tick, or black-legged tick. They themselves don’t cause lyme disease but they do carry the bacteria that causes it: Borrelia burgdorferi. When a tick latches onto a deer, dog, cat or even a human, it releases the bacteria. Deer ticks seem to prefer dogs and other animals but it is possible for cats to become infected, too.
When a tick bites an animal, it can take from 18 hours to two days for the bacteria to transfer to it. That means a tick has to be attached to your cat for that long. The good news is that, because cats are frequent and thorough groomers, they will likely get rid of a tick before it has a chance to be there 18 hours.
Even indoor cats can get exposed to lyme disease if a tick gets carried inside on long pants, socks or another pet. The risk is much lower for them, but it’s still there. It’s also important to note that your cat cannot give you lyme disease.
If a cat has been bitten by a deer tick, the problem is in detecting any symptoms of lyme disease – they don’t always show the clinical signs the way they’d appear in people or dogs. So, as with all things related to a cat’s health, owners have to be vigilant! According to petmd.com here are some signs of lyme disease to look for your cat:
- Stiff walk with an arched back
- Sensitive to touch
- Difficulty breathing
- Fever, lack of appetite, and depression may accompany inflammation of the joints
- Superficial lymph nodes close to the site of the infecting tick bite may be swollen
- Heart abnormalities are reported, but rare; they include complete heart block
- Nervous system complications (rare)
Lyme disease is treatable in cats using antibiotics and it may take more than one round of them to get rid of it. It’s also critical to begin treatment quickly. If you’re concerned because you’ve seen a tick bite on your cat, go to your vet immediately. Using a complete blood work-up, urinalysis and reviewing your cat’s history, the vet will be able to determine if Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria is present. It’s also important for the vet to see the tick bite itself, to look for any remnant of the tick that might still be there.
So, keep your cats safe. Be aware, check your cat for ticks and watch or any unusual behavior! It’s important to know what your cat’s “normal” is and to act fast if you notice something unusual.
CLICK HERE to read the petmed.com article on lyme disease.
CLICK HERE to read about indoor cats and lyme disease.
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