Spring has sprung, and with warmer weather comes the start of a far less pleasant time of year: tick season. As ticks become more active this spring, both humans and their pets will be at greater risk of diseases like Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and ehrlichiosis.
But a new science report from Forbes Advisor, the analysis arm of Forbes, could help you protect your pets from tick-borne diseases and other harmful infections.
The report analyzed 19 dog and cat diseases across the US from six pet health and infectious disease organizations, including the Center for Disease Control and the American Veterinary Medical Association. It uncovered the riskiest states for pets, and the data might just save your pet’s life.
“As a pet owner, you want to do the very best job taking care of your pet,” and this report will hopefully better equip pet owners to do exactly that by spreading awareness, Alexandria Cremer, a Forbes senior PR strategist involved with the report, told Business Insider.
Here are the 10 riskiest states for your pet, the most common diseases to watch out for, and some basic tips for keeping your pet happy and healthy.
Top 10 riskiest states for your pet
Forbes Advisor created its own ranking scale based on data from all 19 diseases. The scale ranges from zero to 100, and states with higher scores have a greater risk of these diseases.
These were the 10 riskiest states, according to the data:
- West Virginia Score: 100
- Rhode Island Score: 80.71
- New Jersey Score: 74.1
- Kentucky Score: 73.91
- Maine Score: 71.3
- Oklahoma Score: 70.15
- New York Score: 66.23
- Mississippi Score: 65.88
- Indiana Score: 65.69
- Pennsylvania Score: 64.75
Some key takeaways: Five of the top 10 riskiest states for your pet are on the East Coast (Rhode Island, New Jersey, Maine, New York, and Pennsylvania).
Two of these 10 states, West Virginia and Maine, were also among the top three riskiest states for tick-borne diseases. And Pennsylvania recorded the most cases of rabies (237) in cats between 2017 to 2021.
The most common diseases to watch out for
Ticks
Tick-borne diseases like Lyme Disease, anaplasmosis, and ehrlichiosis are especially common in the spring and summer months.
Arkansas, Maine, and West Virginia ranked highest in tick-borne diseases out of all 50 states. But regionally, the East Coast — and especially the Northeast — showed the highest risk of tick-borne disease.
These bacterial infections can turn deadly if not treated quickly, so it’s important to watch your pet for symptoms. Fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, and joint stiffness or pain are all common symptoms of these three tick-borne diseases.
Parasites
Ticks aren’t the only tiny critters that can get your pet sick. Parasites like worms can wriggle their way into your pets’ bodies when they ingest contaminated substances like dirt or feces, or when an infected insect — like fleas and mosquitos — bite your pet.
Roundworms are the most common intestinal parasites in cats and dogs. The top three states with the highest risk of roundworm were South Dakota, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.
This parasite poses the biggest risk to puppies and kittens, so it’s important to deworm them every two weeks until they’re three months old, according to Companion Veterinary Clinic. Watch for symptoms like a distended belly, weight loss, diarrhea, vomiting, and loss of appetite.
Viruses
Cats and dogs can catch viruses too. The risk of dog flu, a highly contagious respiratory virus, was highest in New Mexico, Mississippi, and Oklahoma.
Most dogs recover from the flu in two to three weeks, but it’s still important to look for the symptoms so that you can keep them properly hydrated, rested, and fed while they recover. Symptoms include a runny nose, fever, lethargy, runny eyes, and loss of appetite, according to the FA report.
Feline immunodeficiency virus is one of the most common diseases that infect cats. Kentucky and Mississippi showed the highest risk of this disease.
It’s dangerous because infected cats may not display any symptoms for years, but all the while, this virus is causing lasting damage to their immune systems. Though the early signs are hard to see, you can catch them one to three months following infection if you know what to look for including swollen lymph nodes, fever, depression, and lack of appetite, according to Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
How to keep your pet safe
No matter where you live, there are some preventative measures that every pet owner can take to protect their pet’s health.
Scheduling annual vet check-ups to make sure your pet is up to date on their vaccines is a great place to start, according to the animal rescue Brandywine Valley SPCA.
It’s also important to keep up with preventative medication. Experts recommend giving your pet heartworm, flea, and tick medication once a month, all year round, and routinely checking your pet’s fur and skin for ticks, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the FDA.
Trips to the vet can get expensive, especially if your pet needs emergency care or surgery. Emergency vet bills range from $150 to $5,000 on average in the US, MetLife reports. Consider purchasing pet insurance to help cover unexpected costs. Depending on your pet’s breed, age, and other factors, pet insurance can range from $48 to $68 per month per dog and $28 to $40 monthly per cat, according to a separate report from Forbes Advisor.
And last, but certainly not least, making sure your pet gets proper nutrition, hydration, exercise, and mental stimulation is key to keeping them happy and healthy, according to the Animal Foundation.
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