It is common to find ticks when there are pets around at home. In spite of taking good care of your loved ones, there are chances that your dog or cat might get infected by ticks. Remember that these organisms are neither good for your pets nor you. It should be cleared right away and if left unattended, can lead to worse situations such as the Lyme disease in humans.
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Tick bite[/caption]
Do all tick bites cause Lyme disease?
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Infected Tick[/caption]
No, not all tick bites lead to the Lyme disease. Bites that involve ticks that are infected by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi are the ones that lead to this particular illness. It is high time you become aware when you encounter an expanding red rash where the tick bit. These symptoms are serious threats and should immediately be taken care of. When ignored, it could worsen by spreading to other places of the body as well.
Other possible symptoms
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Expanding rash[/caption]
People who are bitten by infected ticks can also experience symptoms including flu, joint pains, and swelling. A painful situation may arise when the Lyme disease has reached the blood vessels subsequently leading to organ failure and heart attacks.
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Other Symptoms[/caption]
Sometimes, a tick bite goes unnoticed and only comes to attention several months after the bite when your swollen knees and joints typically beg for treatment which might be too late.
Don’t blame your dog
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Don't blame your dog[/caption]
I have personally witnessed people cursing their pets for acquiring ticks. It is the pet parent’s responsibility that his pets are given a regular bath and treated with anti-bacterial and anti-fungal solutions on a regular basis. And moreover, Lyme disease is not spread by air, water, or mosquito bites and can be transmitted only when the infected ticks get to bite you. Hence, don’t hurt your pets by chaining them in a secluded place or leaving them abandoned. You wouldn’t definitely do such a thing to your kid, would you?
Treatment
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Antibiotics[/caption]
A blood test could possibly detect the presence of Lyme disease and it is very rare that a biopsy or patch test is taken from the site of the bite. As far as the treatment is considered, oral antibiotics will work pretty good when the disease is at its earlier stage and intravenous drugs come to the rescue when the situation has gone to treat the bacteria in the blood vessels.
Both your pets and you need care and it is absolutely unfair to treat them harshly. Once you detect symptoms of your dog infected with ticks, take proper precautions such as anti-bacterial sprays before you begin treating your dog.
