Its spring time in Ohio! The flowers are popping up. The squirrels and other small woodland creatures are getting ready for another season.  But, there is another small creature that’s gearing up for another season of foraging and feasting. TICKS!  While ticks can potentially carry many diseases, Lyme disease is a growing concern not just in our pets but in people as well. According to the CDC, approximately 476,000 Americans are diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease annually. It is the most common vector-borne illness in the U.S., with cases concentrated in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, and upper Midwest. In 2025 1 in 50 dogs in Lorain County tested positive for Lyme disease with a total of 731 cases. (CAPC “Companion Animal Parasite Council”)

Lyme disease is a bacteria (borrelia burgdorferi) that is transmitted from the bite of an infected Ixodes tick. The common name of this tick is the dear tick but it feeds on squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits and many other small mammals year round. The response in the infected individual can have severe affects on joints, the liver, and the kidney that can potentially be irreversible if not diagnosed and treated promptly. Elyria Animal Hospital has in the best interest of our patients made the Lyme vaccine part of our core vaccine program to not only protect our patients from Lyme disease but to stop the potential spread to public health as well. Used in combination with a quality flea and tick preventative will help ensure Lyme and other tick borne diseases are no longer a threat to your pets well being.

– Written by Dr. Eric Allie, Interim Managing DVM