My Pet World: The risk of tick disease is rising
Q: I'm wondering if I should vaccinate my dog for Lyme disease. My veterinarian says it's not necessary. However, a friend I often go hiking with said his veterinarian recommends the vaccine, and his dogs are vaccinated. What do you think? -- C.G., Jackson, MI
A: "We hear this a lot; the conversation over the past 10 years has changed," says Dr. John VanDaele, of Saginaw, MI. "I would have once answered, 'let's not worry so much unless your dog is in New England.' But over 700 cases of Lyme disease have been diagnosed in dogs in just our state so far this year. Increasingly, Lyme is occurring where previously it didn't exist."
If the reader lived in a high rise and confined his dog-walking to the sidewalk, "the answer might be different," says VanDaele. "However, a dog who goes hiking is therefore exposed to ticks."
He adds, "The deer tick (black legged tick) which carries Lyme may not be the most common tick in this region. But then my own sister lives near you, and her hunting dog was diagnosed with Lyme."
"Ticks are nasty little creatures, and checking the dog for ticks daily is important," VanDaele notes. "We have a client who moved to Missouri, and the first day there, she pulled 30 ticks off her dog. In some places, it's crazy."
Work your veterinarian to choose the appropriate tick prevention product for all pets in your home, and for the region where you live.
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Q: A few years back, a stray cat started coming into our yard. We eventually began to feed him, and when he didn't show up for a few days, we'd worry. He kept coming back, though, even if occasionally bloody, presumably from a catfight. We subsequently heard about a local trap, neuter, return program. We caught the cat, had him neutered, vaccinated for rabies, and ear-tipped to ID him as being TNR'd.
After this, the cat began to hang around our house even more. Our indoor cat would see him through the patio door but didn't seem to mind his presence.
While we were away on a trip, we boarded the indoor cat, and a neighbor took care of the outdoor cat. When we returned, the indoor cat was acting lethargic and had fleas. Could these have come from the outdoor cat? We're afraid we created a monster in the outdoor cat by taming him. We haven't been able to find him a home. Should we bring him indoors? -- R.W., Anderson, SC
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