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Think Your Dogs Are Protected? 4 Reasons They Need To Be Vaccinated Against Lyme Disease

If you have dogs, you owe it to them to do your best to protect them against health hazards. Some of the health hazards you want to protect them against are diseases that can have negative implications on your health. One of those diseases is Lyme disease. If your dogs haven't been vaccinated against Lyme disease, you need to take care of that right away. Lyme disease should never be taken lightly. It can have lasting – and sometimes fatal – results for humans and dogs. If you're not sure whether, or not, your dogs need to be vaccinated against Lyme disease, here are four reasons why you might want to say yes to the Lyme vaccine.

You're Going Camping

This is a big one. If you're going to be going camping, now or in the future, your dogs need to be vaccinated against Lyme disease. Disease-carrying ticks can be found in the forest, especially near thick brush. Unfortunately, that's where dogs love to go exploring. If your dogs go exploring in the thick brush, and pick up a few ticks, they could end up carrying a disease home that will affect your dogs, you, and your family.

You Live in a Risk Zone

You might not realize this, but you could live in a Lyme disease risk zone. While Lyme disease can be contracted just about anywhere in the US, it is most prevalent in the eastern region of the US. If you live anywhere in the eastern region of the United States, you owe it to yourself, and your dogs, to have them vaccinated against the disease. You never know when your dogs are going to go outside and come in contact with a tick that's carrying Lyme disease.

You're Traveling for the Holidays

With the holidays just around the corner, it's time to start planning your travels. If you're going to be taking your dogs with you, it's time to start planning for their health and safety, as well. While you're having their veterinarian give them a once-over for travels, make sure they vaccinate your dogs against Lyme disease. When you're traveling, your dogs are at an increased risk for developing Lyme disease.

You're Having House Guests

You may think that since you're not part of a risk group – you're not traveling, you don't go camping, and you don't live in the eastern region of the US – that you don't need to have your dogs vaccinated against Lyme disease. However, that's not actually true. If you're going to be having house guests staying with you during the holidays, you need to get your dogs vaccinated. This is particularly true if your guests will be bringing their dogs with them. You never know where their dogs have been, or what type of ticks they're carrying in their fur. Play it safe. Protect your dogs, and you, against the ravages of Lyme disease.