Chapter 9: We Interrupt Your Broadcast For A Special Bulletin

Hey all! Not much is going on in our neck of the woods, so this isn’t going to be an entry that’s really in-depth. Good news, though! I finished the information bulletin board for work! Here are the pictures, with captions of what each part says underneath!

A shot of the whole board. "Spring is coming! Spring is tick season!"

"Warm weather is near, which means ticks will be out in full force! Here are some facts you should know about Lyme Disease!"

"What are the SYMPTOMS?

• fever
• lameness
• swelling/painful joints
• lethargy
• loss of appetite

Unlike humans, dogs very rarely get the typical bullseye rash!"

I added pictures of the deer tick, the most common tick around here that transmits Lyme.

"How is Lyme Disease diagnosed? We begin by taking a thorough history of your pet. If we believe your pet might have Lyme, we can run a simple 10 minute in-house test. This test tells us if your pet has been exposed to the bacteria that causes Lyme. If so, we can send a blood sample to a larger laboratory for a specific test. This test will tell us the quantity of the Lyme bacteria in your pet's blood."

"TREATMENT: When your pet is first diagnosed, they will be put on a strong course of antibiotics. Some pets also require pain medicine. Unfortunately, there is NO cure for Lyme. Supportive care is one of the best treatment options."

The map shows the incidence of Lyme positive pets in each state.

"PREVENTION!

• A yearly vaccine;
• Checking for ticks after coming inside; and
• Flea and tick preventatives"

"We recommend Advantage and K9 Advantix! :) "

"Don't wait! Vaccinate!" ---- corny, I know...

"Oh no! Spike has a tick on him... what should I do?!

A guide to properly removing a tick from your dog..."

"Step 1:

Get all of the supplies you will need.

• tweezers
• cotton balls
• rubbing alcohol
• a jar with a lid"

"Step 2: Wash your hands with soap and water.

Now, dab rubbing alcohol around the area where the tick is with a cotton ball."

"Step 3: Sterilize the tweezers with rubbing alcohol.

Part your dog's hair so you can see the tick."

"Step 4:

Firmly grasp the tick with the tweezers as close to the head of the tick as possible.

Slowly pull the tick up and away from your dog's skin. You want to make sure the tick's head is removed, too."

"Step 5:

Place the tick in the jar and pour rubbing alcohol on it, just enough to cover the bottom of the jar and drown the tick. Seal the jar closed."

"Step 6:

Use a clean cotton ball and more rubbing alcohol to sterilize the bite location on your dog's skin.

Now wash your hands.

You're all done!"

So, what does everyone think? Is it educational enough? Neat enough? Give me some input! :)

-Grizzly Girl