Voted Best Veterinary Clinic
We had a banner year for ticks. Each year, ticks and tick-borne diseases become more widespread. Minnesota and Wisconsin are among the most prevalent states for the deer tick
Ixodes scapularis which carries Lyme disease and Anaplasmosis. In the past several years we have seen increasing numbers of other tick-borne diseases, including Ehrlichia canis, Babesia and even Rocky Mountain spotted fever. All of these diseases are debilitating and can be life-threatening to pets and to humans. Living in an area with tick diseases makes it is imperative to be informed and to practice safety measures for our pets and ourselves. While there is a dog vaccine for Lyme disease, at this time there are no vaccines available for the other tick-related diseases. There are a number of excellent and safe products available for tick prevention. It is important to treat frequently – at least once monthly from early spring through late fall or into winter. If there is no snow cover, the ticks are still active and they can transmit disease. Many veterinarians recommend year-round treatment against ticks just to be sure. The best source of information on tick products is your veterinarian. Rivertown has a variety of safe and effective products. We have made it a point to be competitive with our pricing by matching competitors’ pricing as well as offering rebates to provide further savings. Let us know if you have questions about how to protect your pet.
Purina Care published an excellent article on ticks in their July newsletter. You can also visit the site www.dogsandticks.com for more information on tick disease prevalence.