Tick Prevention in the Winter: Mid-season thaws can bring unwelcome guests
With January nearing its end and February almost upon us, I’m reminded of a dog that I met a few years ago. Lilly, an unassuming black lab, actually changed one of the ways we work at Beaverton Crossroads Veterinary Services.
As a faithful companion, Lilly was accustomed to going everywhere with her owner, Paul. One day in mid-January, Paul noticed that Lilly’s back left leg was sore, so he made an appointment with our clinic.
Paul and Lilly spent a lot of time outdoors. Photo: provided by owner
When I met Lilly in the exam room, she had a sore leg and a fever. As we tried to determine what was going on, I asked Paul what he and Lilly had been up to. As it turned out, they had been out in the bush walking about two weeks before. It stood out in Paul’s memory because it had been unseasonably warm—a welcome thaw in the dead of winter.
The idea never really hit me until I was looking at Lilly’s preliminary bloodwork: her results were consistent with Lyme disease. I called Paul to ask if Lilly was currently on anti-tick medication.
“Lilly’s pill supply ran out in December,” Paul told me. “It was winter, so I thought that she didn’t need to stay on them.”
Paul was right; he was following the instructions that we’d given him. So what had gone wrong?
Tick behaviour in the winter
Paul never saw a tick on his dog—but he’d seen them in the past, and that’s why he had started anti-tick meds. He’d been advised to keep Lilly on the pills at least nine months of the year, since ticks posed minimal risks during the coldest winter months.
When temperatures drop during the winter, ticks typically go dormant so they don’t pose a risk to our pets (or us owners, for that matter). It’s only when the temperatures rise above four degrees Celsius that the ticks become active. Unfortunately, the pleasant January thaw that had Paul and Lilly heading for the bush had been at least ten degrees, and Lilly had been bitten by an opportunistic tick.
The reality is, our climate is becoming less predictable and we’re seeing unseasonable thaws more frequently. When Lilly was diagnosed with Lyme disease, it was a wakeup call for our team at Beaverton Crossroads and an opportunity to change our recommendations.
Lilly’s treatment plan
With Paul’s agreement, we ran a routine test for three tick-borne diseases that are local to our area. As suspected, Lilly’s results came back with a strong positive for Lyme disease. We tested her antibody levels and immediately started her on a two-month course of antibiotics.
With treatment, Lilly’s fever came down and her back leg improved. We re-tested her when she finished her antibiotics and were happy to find that the treatment had eradicated the disease from her system.
With treatment, Lilly made a full recovery from Lyme disease. Photo: provided by owner
How to ensure your pet stays healthy
Tick-borne illnesses, especially Lyme disease, pose one of the greatest risks to our pets’ health. At Beaverton Crossroads, we’re seeing numerous cases in dogs that never leave our area, which means they are being infected by local ticks.
To ensure your dog or cat is protected against ticks:
Be vigilant and inspect your pet, even during winter months.
Ensure your pet has adequate prevention against ticks.
If you see sudden fever, lameness, or just feel like something is “off”—make an appointment with one of our vets.
DID YOU KNOW Borrealea, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, is harboured by approximately 60% of ticks in the Beaverton Crossroads practice area? They have to feed on your pet for at least 36 hours before they can cause infection. Make a habit of checking your pet for ticks, especially during warm months—because you may be able to prevent an illness.
Written by Doctor Rick Doner
