Did you know according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), residents of New York and Connecticut are at a greater risk for Lyme Disease than much of the US? Data suggests over 30,000 confirmed and probable cases during the last reported year, 2012. This data also indicates, 95% of those Lyme Disease cases were reported from 13 states with New York listed among the dreaded 13! In Westchester County during 2011, 635 cases of Lyme Disease were reported.

As concerned pet owners, we must ask how our pets affected by the risks associated with Lyme Disease. Our pets are important and beloved members of our families and our wish is to keep them safe from tick-borne illness and disease the same way we want to protect the rest of the family.

According to the Parasite Prevalence Maps which are provided by the CAPC (Companion Animal Parasite Council) and can be viewed on the CDC website, in 2013 one in sixteen dogs in the US tested positive for Lyme Disease. This data also indicates that one in seven dogs in Westchester County tested positive for the illness. These innovative PPM maps are used in a new study by the CDC to predict which regions are at a greater risk of outbreaks of the disease. By keeping up with the information on canine occurrences in an area the CDC can pinpoint which areas are most vulnerable and better warn the citizens of that area to protect themselves against ticks that may be potential carriers of the disease.

Symptoms that your dog may have a tick-borne illness, such as Lyme Disease can include a loss of appetite, lethargy and depression, pain, diarrhea, vomiting, edema in the extremities, hemorrhaging, neurological disorders such as seizures, and even death. It is important to seek assistance from your veterinarian if your dog displays any of these symptoms or displays signs of illness.

Along with having your veterinarian advise you on the best tick protection for your dog, it is important to treat the areas where ticks thrive. Even the best laid plans that include spot-on canine tick treatments can falter and put your dog at risk. These products should be used in conjunction with treating your yard to reduce the number of ticks prevalent in your own backyard.

It is important to pet owners and non-pet owners alike to protect themselves from ticks and the potential diseases that they carry. One way to discourage ticks is to keep up with your surroundings and take control of your property by keeping overgrowth, debris and brush to a minimum.

Mosquito Squad of Fairfield and Westchester County recommends a two pronged solution. This includes both a barrier protection program and an additional layer of tick protection. A barrier spray will protect from adult ticks and mosquitoes. Tick tunnels work on baby, or nymph, ticks to eliminate them where they nest and develop.

Call us today to sign up for season-long protection at (203) 832 - 9500 • email: fairfield.county@mosquitosquad.com