Protect Yourself, Your Family, and Your Dogs – It’s Tick Season!
Tick season is raging here in the Southeast. At Beacon, we’ve already diagnosed several dogs
with tick-borne diseases. These pets showed fever, lethargy, joint stiffness, vomiting, and blood
abnormalities like low platelets and red blood cells.
Ticks aren’t just an annoyance—they carry diseases that threaten both pets and people.
Here’s how to protect yourself and your family:
• Use monthly FDA-approved preventatives like Nexgard Plus, Simparica Trio, Frontline, or K9
Advantix. For extra protection, pair a Seresto collar with monthly medications.
• Perform daily tick checks on pets and family members, especially after outdoor activities.
Early removal stops disease transmission, which can take several hours.
• Vaccinate against Lyme disease. While most tick-borne diseases don’t have vaccines, Lyme
disease can be prevented with a safe and effective shot. Lyme was once rare in the Southeast,
but the spread of deer ticks has increased exposure and infection rates.
• Stay vigilant year-round. Ticks become active any time temperatures rise above 40°F. They
climb to the tops of grass and brush, waiting to latch onto pets and people.
Know your ticks and the diseases they carry:
• Deer tick (blacklegged tick) – Small, dark brown/black with reddish-brown body. Carries Lyme
disease, Anaplasma, and Babesia.
• Lone star tick – Medium-sized, reddish-brown with a white spot on the female’s back. Carries
Ehrlichia, Tularemia, and STARI.
• American dog tick – Larger, brown with white or silver markings. Carries Rocky Mountain
spotted fever and Tularemia.
• Brown dog tick – Reddish-brown, often found indoors or in kennels. Carries Ehrlichia and
Babesia.
Stay proactive and protect your whole family – both two-legged and four-legged – this tick
season!
