Albertans are being urged to check their pets and themselves after spending time in forested areas, after five ticks infected with Lyme disease were found in Calgary and Edmonton. 

There have been no reported human infections of the disease in Alberta, but the infected ticks were found on four cats and a dog. Between 1989 and 2008 there were 20 confirmed cases of human Lyme disease in Alberta. 

Micky Elabdi, spokesperson for Alberta Health and Wellness, said it is still unclear whether the animals affected had travelled, or whether the ticks attached within the province of Alberta. Elabdi said that they have yet to identify any ticks in younger life stages within the province, however, the insects could be carried over by birds or other animals.

“Just these positive tests prove that the ticks that can cause Lyme disease are found in Alberta,” she said. 

Janet Jones, veterinarian at the Jasper Veterinary Clinic, said she has yet to see a dog or cat become infected with the disease, but adds that it can be easily spread. She has sent off several ticks to be tested for Lyme disease throughout her years at the clinic in Jasper, but has never heard of any testing positive. 

“We haven’t had Lyme disease,” she said. 

Lyme disease is carried on two varieties of ticks; the Western black-legged tick is found within southern B.C., and the deer tick is most commonly found in the eastern and south-central regions of Canada. Ticks can be very small before they have fed on a host, and can grow to about the size of a raisin when fully engorged with blood. 

“It will feed attached for 24 hours or more,” Elabdi said. 

The disease-carrying ticks usually attach in the summer months from May to August, however Jones said she has seen the insect on pets year-round. 

“I’ve seen them at all times of the year,” she said. 

The most common sign of the disease shows up between three and 30 days of infection as a ring-shaped red rash around the bite location called a “bull’s-eye rash”. Lyme disease often mimics other diseases and can cause headaches, fever, chills, swollen lymph glands and fatigue. If Lyme disease is untreated, more serious symptoms can occur such as joint pain, tingling and numbness in the hands, feet and back, trouble focusing thoughts, poor memory and weakness or paralysis. 

The symptoms are different in dogs. Jones said to look for malaise, lethargy, joint pain and fever. The ring-like rash may not appear, or will be impossible to see within the fur. An infected dog’s urine can be the source of infection for other dogs. 

There is a cure for both humans and dogs. Vets and doctors will prescribe antibiotics, but the disease must be caught early. Long-term damage can result if the disease goes untreated. In pets their joints and renal system can be permanently damaged

Ticks can be found in wooded areas, and Jones said they are common in areas where elk and mountain goats congregate. The insect lives on bushes or trees, and drops onto an animal or human as they pass by. They can wander around on the skin for several days before attaching to the host for a blood meal. 

Jones said there is a vaccine for dogs, but she has not used it at her clinic. There are other products such as K9 Advantix, which kills ticks on contact and acts as a repellant, but can’t be used on cats. Jones said that insect-repelling collars are not as effective, and may only treat the area immediately around the collar. Shampooing can help remove ticks that haven’t attached to a pet, but once they are attached it most likely will not remove them. Tick bites are not as common in cats.

“More effective is to try to keep ticks from biting your dog in the first place,” Jones said. 

The vet suggests checking your pets every few days for ticks, by running your fingers against the way the hair grows. Ticks tend to attach around the front end of an animal but can be anywhere. Be sure to check in the ears and on the belly. 

“You don’t just touch, you want to feel,” Jones said. 

Dogs that tend to run through thick brush are more at risk, and families that travel with their pets should be aware of where ticks are more prominent, such as Manitoba. Jones said that it isn’t necessary to use anti-tick products, but suggests using them if you find one on your pet. 

A tick bite can be completely painless, so you may not notice you have been bitten at all. Not all ticks are infected with Lyme disease, but it’s important to remove a tick as soon as you notice it. The best way to remove a tick from both humans and animals is to grip the insect as close to the skin as possible by the head with a pair of tweezers that can grasp flat against the skin, and pull straight out, being careful not to squeeze the tick or the infection could spread. Jones said that if the removal is successful, a chunk of skin should come out with it.

Should you find a tick on your pet or yourself, remove it as soon as possible, and kill it. Jones said they are extremely hard to kill and need to be crushed between two hard surfaces. 

“You have to really crush it to kill it,” she said, adding that grinding the two surfaces together with the tick between them should work. 

If a tick is too difficult to remove on your pet, the Jasper Veterinary Clinic has a de-ticker tool that can easily remove ticks. Ticks can carry a number of other diseases and infections, so regardless of the type, a tick should be removed promptly. 

Elabdi said that the lessons learned from the West Nile virus outbreak can be applied to help prevent ticks from attaching. Cover up as much skin as possible when outdoors including using tall socks, and wear bug spray that contains DEET. Ticks are easier to spot on light coloured clothing.

For more information on ticks in Alberta, visit www.myhealth.alberta.ca.