About Ticks in Ontario

Blacklegged ticks are active at temperatures above 4°C, which means they can be found all year round in Ontario and are becoming increasingly prevalent due to climate change. The GTA is an estimated risk area for Lyme disease, and the number of Lyme-positive ticks is increasing rapidly. Although pets are most at risk in wooded and brushy areas with established tick populations, such as the Rouge Valley, ticks can migrate on birds and deer and are not confined to these areas.

My Dog has just been bitten by a tick…now what?

These options are best discussed with a doctor or registered technician. Generally speaking, the following steps should be taken:

1. The whole tick should be removed immediately at home or by hospital staff.

2. Schedule a clinical examination. Although this is recommended, it is not necessary if your dog has received an examination by a doctor within the last 12 months.

3. Lyme Antibody Testing (4Dx blood test)
   *It takes 4–6 weeks for a patient to develop antibodies against Lyme that are detectable by blood tests, so testing is typically performed after this time interval.

4. Monitor for clinical signs of Lyme disease for the
   next 6 months.

5. Get your dog on preventative medications for the remainder of the season!

About Lyme Disease

5–10% of dogs that test positive for exposure to the Lyme bacteria develop Lyme disease.

Once the bacterium has been transmitted, it is 2–5 months before the symptoms of Lyme disease begin to show. Common symptoms include arthritis in one or more joints, enlarged lymph nodes, fever, and lethargy. 

Although most cases of Lyme disease respond well to early antibiotic treatment, PREVENTION is the best way to manage Lyme disease.

Lyme nephritis is a rare but serious complication of Lyme disease where the kidneys are affected by the immune system as it attempts to get rid of the bacteria. Monitoring for the presence of protein in the urine helps us screen our patients for the presence of kidney disease, and treat appropriately. Frequent urinalyses are an important part of monitoring for our Lyme positive patients.

Prevention is Key

Preventing a tick from feeding on your dog is the best way to prevent transmission of Lyme bacteria. There are many safe and reliable medications available that provide excellent protection against ticks for up to 3 months as a single dose.

There is also a Lyme vaccine available (Nobivac ® LYME) that may be used alongside tick control medication for added protection. Consult with your veterinarian to decide if this is the right option for you.

There is no control program that is 100% successful, therefore, performing a yearly blood test to assess general health and screen for tick borne diseases and heartworm is an important part of your pet’s health care routine.

It is exactly as its name describes, a dangerous blood-borne, heart-dwelling parasitic worm that is spread by mosquitoes.

When the infective heartworm larvae are deposited in a dog or cat through a mosquito bite, they move through the blood stream and set up camp in the pulmonary arteries and heart, where they mature into adults that can grow to over a foot in length![1] For the duration of their lives (2–3 years in cats and 5–7 years in dogs), they wreck havoc on the animal’s heart and lungs, causing serious damage that can have fatal consequences if left untreated.[7,8]

The number of heartworm and tick-borne disease cases have been on the rise in southern Ontario (especially Toronto) over the past few years.

Detecting and eliminating intestinal worms in our pets is essential for their health as well as the health of other animals (including humans!) that may come into contact with infective eggs in soil and/or poop.

While all pets are susceptible to infections with intestinal worms, some are more vulnerable, namely puppies and kittens. We recommend multiple deworming treatments before your puppy/kitten reaches adulthood. 

Remember, good hygiene should always accompany regular screening, treatment, and prevention of worms. PLEASE pick up your dog’s poop!

Roundworms

Roundworms are one of the most common intestinal parasites in dogs and cats. In an adult dog, the story begins with the ingestion of an egg that hatches in the intestine during digestion. Newly hatched microscopic larvae move into the muscles where they lay dormant and are unlikely to cause problems…until pregnancy that is. When a dog becomes pregnant, dormant larvae are reawakened. They move through the placenta and into the puppies. Following birth, the tiny larvae move through the puppy’s bloodstream and up to the lungs, where they are coughed up and swallowed, ultimately reaching the intestine. Here they mature to adults and mate, laying eggs by the thousands, and the cycle repeats.[10] Puppies can also become infected through drinking their mother’s milk, which may also contain previously dormant roundworm larvae.

Heavy parasitic loads in your puppy’s intestines can cause a lot of abdominal discomfort and a potbelly, diarrhea, weakness and/or vomiting. They may even cause intestinal obstructions, which can be fatal if left untreated.[10]

Roundworm eggs are very hardy, and can survive in the environment for long periods of time. If a human accidentally ingests an egg, larvae hatch and migrate through the body, potentially causing serious problems. Children, who use their mouth as a third hand, are at a higher risk of accidental ingestion. Good hygiene, in combination with deworming and prevention can significantly reduce these risks. 

Roundworms of Dogs (and Cats) - Plain and Simple is a very funny an informative Youtube video by Else-Vet about roundworms.

Whipworms

Whipworms are small whip-shaped worms (duh). Infection begins with the ingestion of infective eggs, which are found in the environment after being pooped out by other infected animals. Eggs hatch in the small intestine and mature to adults in the large intestine and colon, where they deeply embed themselves in the intestinal wall and cause inflammation and discomfort. Although most infections are asymptomatic, infected dogs may have diarrhea that is mucous-y or watery, foul smelling, and/or streaked with blood. Other signs include dehydration and weight loss.

Hookworms

Hookworms, more common in dogs than cats, are small, thin worms that attach to the wall of the small intestine with their sharp teeth and suck blood. They change their attachment site several times per day. Hookworm eggs are deposited in poop, and hatch in the environment. In adult dogs, infection usually begins with hookworm larvae penetrating the skin and migrating to the muscles, where they lay dormant.[10] Larvae may also be ingested from the environment. Dormant larvae can re-awaken from the muscles throughout the dog’s life and move to the intestine, where they lay eggs and feed on blood. Puppies, however, become infected with hookworms in their intestines after ingesting larvae in their mother’s milk.

Intestinal infections can cause blood loss and anemia, which can be significant enough to cause death in puppies that have ingested large amounts of larvae. Other signs of infections are weakness, weight loss, lameness and diarrhea.[10]

Hookworms also pose a threat to humans. Larvae from the environment may penetrate skin and begin to migrate underneath. That’s right… worms. crawling under your skin. This is another reason why pooping-and-scooping, combined with regular screening, treatment or prevention are so very important.

Tapeworms

Tapeworms can be transmitted to dogs (and cats) that ingest infected fleas or rodents. They attach to the intestinal wall and grow in length as segments which develop from the neck. They often reach lengths of over 2 feet![4] Eggs are found in many segments of the tapeworm, and are deposited within these segments into the poop of the host animal, where they can be seen with the naked eye. You may also find them on your pet’s rear end—they look like small, white pieces of rice that may even be moving (yuck). If your pet has been diagnosed with a flea infestation, a fecal test may also be necessary to check for tapeworms.

The Flea Tapeworm (Dipylidium caninum) - Plain and Simple is a very funny an informative Youtube video by Else-Vet about the flea tapeworm.