09 May It’s Tick Season! 3 Ways To Protect Your Dog

Ah, it’s sweet summertime in East Tennessee, when the living is easy but the ticks are aplenty. At the PetWellClinic of Knoxville and Alcoa, we know how crucial it is to protect your pets from tick-borne diseases.

According to the Center For Disease Control and Prevention, East Tennessee is home to the following varieties of ticks that carry these diseases:

• Deer tick, may transmit Lyme disease
• American dog (or wood) tick — may transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever
• Brown dog tick, may transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Ehrlichia
• Lone Star Tick, may transmit Ehrlichia and other lesser known diseases.

While many of us are familiar with Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, few of us may have heard of Ehrlichia, which is reportedly on the rise nationwide. Canine ehrlichiosis comes in multiple strains that infect blood cells, which may result in lethargy, loss of appetite, or lameness. It’s also concerning that ehrlichia is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be passed from animals to humans. It’s particularly dangerous for young children, older adults, and those with compromised immune systems.

Dogs are especially susceptible to tick bites and tick-borne diseases and are the primary host for the brown dog tick in each of its life stages, although ticks may also bite humans or other mammals.

Vaccines are not available for all the tick-borne diseases that dogs may come in contact with, and they don’t keep dogs from bringing ticks into your home. To keep your pet healthy and your home safe, it’s essential to use a tick preventive product on your dog.

The PetWellClinic in Knoxville and Alcoa have a variety of affordable, high quality chewable and topical tick prevention products, such as Activyl, Bravecto, Parastar, and Revolution. We can help you determine which one is best for your pet, and we can help you with heartworm and flea prevention products as well.

Because we focus on vaccinations and don’t have the overhead of surgical equipment, we’re able to offer preventative products at much lower prices. Think of us as a “minute clinic” for your pet—no appointment necessary, with quick in and out service. Dr. Sam Meisler, founder of PetWellClinic says, “So many of the diseases that we see in practice are preventable at a minimum of expense. If we can make prevention affordable and convenient, less pets will succumb to devastating diseases.”

PetWellClinics are located at 10549 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, 7329 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, and 228 S. Calderwood Street in Alcoa. By operating limited hours for non-surgical care, we are able to offer substantially discounted prices for wellness exams, vaccinations, preventative products, and treatment of minor conditions. Learn more about how PetWellClinic can exceed your expectations for affordable, top quality pet care by visiting our website at www.petwellclinic.com, and come in today for a 10% discount on regular priced Bravecto.