Cape Rose Toy Poodles

Tick Diseases and Toy Poodles

Our toy poodle Chris was immunized against Lyme Disease; he had received the Lyme Disease shots since he was a puppy. But he contracted Ehlichiosis several years ago. The Lyme Disease immunization does not protect against other tick-borne illnesses; that’s why you need to use extra measures to protect your pets. More on that below.

Funny thing is: Chris was an indoor pet so how was he exposed? (Chris passed away on July 10, 2012, at the age of 16 years and 2 days.)

Is it possible I unknowingly carried an infected tick into the house? After all, Chris sleeps with me. Or is it possible our big dog Rose brought an unwelcome visitor into our home? Or did Chris pick up a tick at the groomer’s?

Our vet discovered Chris’s Ehrlichiosis quite by accident. Chris was having some routine blood work done when the vet noticed “something funny” under the microscope. He put Chris on doxycycline, an antibiotic routinely used to treat Lyme Disease and Ehrlichiosis. Chris recovered; apparently we caught it in time. We were lucky.

Tick Life Cycle

The life cycle of a deer tick is a fairly complicated one and we provide links to expert information in the sidebar. Suffice it to say that mice and small rodents are the real culprits. The deer, like us, are victims.

You Can Help Prevent Lyme Disease

You need to be proactive to prevent tick-borne diseases in yourself and your pets. Here are some tips:

1. • Immunize your dogs against Lyme Disease. (No shot is available for people.)
   

1. • Have your vet do the SNAP 4Dx blood test during annual wellness visits. Visit IDEXX Laboratories to learn more about this test.
   

1. • Use a topical tick-repellant that your vet recommends.
   

1. • Check your pets and yourself after every foray into the yard.
   

1. • Wear clothing treated with permethrin if you are, like me, an avid gardener. I treat all my gardening clothes with Sawyer’s Military-Style Repellant soak. It lasts through a half-dozen washings. You can also spray your clothing with Sawyer’s aerosol spray, which I also routinely use. You can purchase these repellants at camping stores as well as online
   

1. • Use Damminix® tick tubes or another tick treatment in your yard. You toss a tube every 15 feet or so around the perimeter of your property. Field mice and other small rodents remove the treated cotton balls to use as nesting material. The permethrin kills ticks in the mice’s nest but does not harm the mice or their offspring. You can probably find Damminix® at your local Agway or other agricultural supply store as well as online.

Preventing diseases carried by deer ticks is a very personal crusade.

We live in southern Rhode Island at the edge of a wildlife sanctuary. Deer play in our backyard. The mice, moles, and chipmunks cavort in our gardens. A bucolic scene, right?

Not if you, a family member, or your pets have had Lyme Disease, Anaplasmosis, Ehrlichiosis, or Babesiosis. These and other diseases are spread by the bite of an infected deer tick. All of these diseases can be life threatening to pets and people.

Click here to tell the difference between a deer tick and a dog tick.

1. Carefully Grooming Your Toy Poodle Can Help You Prevent Tick Diseases.

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