My Pet World: The threat of tick-borne diseases growing across the U.S.
Examples include topical spot-on solutions Vectra 3D and EFFITIX, which may not allow a tick to attach in the first place, but if the tick does make it beyond the product barrier, it still faces doomsday. Both products also give terminal nervous breakdowns to ticks and fleas.
Bravecto is a new chewable product that provides 12 weeks of tick and flea protection.
NexGard is a chewable that uses new technology to kill ticks and fleas. A monthly spot-on, Frontline Plus, protects against ticks and fleas.
Over-the-counter tick collars offer, at best, "iffy" effectiveness. Exceptions are the Scalibor Protector Band, which provides up to six months' of protection against ticks that carry Lyme and other tick-borne diseases (Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Babesiosis, Anaplasmosis and Ehrlichiosis). Another effective and safe product is the Preventic collar, which paralyzes tick mouthparts to prevent feeding, therefore making transmission of disease unlikely.
4. Vaccination. "Most human physicians are probably envious, as we can vaccinate our dogs against Lyme disease, which is a major problem (for both people and dogs) in many parts of the county," says White. "And the region for Lyme continues to expand. Truly, the best protection is to deal with your environment as you're able, be vigilant about checking for ticks, use products suggested by your veterinarian and vaccinate."
"By paying attention to tick disease, you'll also provide a service to your own family," says Paul. He agrees that we can do more to protect our pets than we can to protect ourselves.
Dryden agrees. "The dog happens to be the sentinel animal for many tick diseases, most importantly Lyme," he notes. "Dogs get exposed to more ticks and (have) a higher (tendency to contract Lyme disease) than people. If your dog has Lyme, family members are potentially being exposed, too."
Should pet owners be more proactive about considering the Lyme vaccine if they live where the disease is prevalent?
"Oh, you bet!" Dryden says.
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