Lone Star Tick causing concern for New England pet owners

BOSTON — A new tick is threatening pets across New England this spring.

Veterinarians at MSCPA’s Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston have noticed a surge in Lone Star ticks. The Lone Star tick gets its name because it is native to Texas.

“They're very fast. So they're about three times as fast as a normal tick. And so when they decide to move, they're on you pretty quickly,” said Dr. Virginia Sinnott.

In addition to its speed, it also boast excellent vision and attacks in swarms, making them especially dangerous to pets.

Ruth Ricker’s dog, Comet, just recovered from a bite.

“Suddenly he was acting old. He was limping a little bit. It was quite subtle, but not jumping up on the couch anymore,” she said.

Comet was diagnosed him with Rocky Mountain Fever, a life threatening disease caused by the Lone Star tick.

Vets at Angell have seen a big boom in tic- borne illnesses in dogs.

During the fall-winter of 2015, they treated 87 dogs for tick-borne illnesses. That number jumped to 196 so far this year, a 200 percent increase.

Vets say the warm weather and few cold snaps lead to a surge in the Lone Star ticks.

Dr. Sinnott said they are concerned because there have been reported that the bug is getting closer to city limits.

“One of our own veterinarians found a Lone Star tick on her own personal dog in Wellesley,” she added

As for Comet, he spent several days at Angell Animal Medical Center and was treated with antibiotics.

After seeing what the Lone Star Tick is capable of, Ricker has some advice for all pet owners:

“We need to do tick prevention year round. Some of us weren't even doing it in the summer if we were in the city. But we need to do that, and year round,” she said.

Prevention: Protecting Your Pet

Angell recommends the following to pet owners:

1)      Use an over-the-counter tick preventative all year long such as Frontline or Advantix for dogs—and keep cats exclusively indoors (which is safer for them generally, and all but eliminates their risk of tick-borne illness)

2)      Walk dogs on hard surfaces or well-worn paths.  “Keeping them out of the bushes, where most ticks reside, will significantly reduce their exposure,” said Dr. Sinnott

3)      Keep the edges of your property free of debris such as piles of leaves and brush, which offer safe shelter to ticks of all varieties

4)      Learn how to remove embedded ticks.

5)      Have your pet tested annually for tick-borne diseases.

6)      Know the primary signs of most tick-borne illnesses: flu-like symptoms, lameness, decreased appetite and generally seeming unwell.   If any of these symptoms are present, call your veterinarian immediately.

Cox Media Group