Trupanion Brings Lyme Disease to Light During Prevent Lyme in Dogs Month

Seattle, WA (Vocus/PRWEB) April 04, 2011

April is Prevent Lyme in Dogs Month and Trupanion, the nation’s fastest-growing pet insurance provider, today released tips and information about the disease in an effort to help pet owners protect their pets this spring and summer.

Lyme disease, or Borreliosis, is transmitted by the bite of infected deer ticks, which are more commonly found after the winter thaw.

The most common signs and symptoms of Lyme disease include fever, loss of appetite, lameness, lethargy, unusual breathing, and in extreme cases kidney damage. Rarely the pet will exhibit heart problems or neurological symptoms such as seizures. If any of these symptoms occur (even if no tick has been found), it’s important to take the pet to a veterinarian immediately. The sooner the disease is diagnosed, the easier it is to treat.

Pet owners should be aware, however, that not all pets show symptoms when they are infected. If the pet owner believes the pet may be exposed, the pet should be taken to a veterinarian regardless of the lack of symptoms shown.

When it comes to Lyme disease, prevention is key. Pet owners can protect their pets in the following ways:

   •      Administer tick preventative regularly. Products such as the Preventic collar, Advantix, Frontline, and Revolution will either kill the tick or cause it to drop off the pet before it causes damage.
   •     Cut or mow grassy or overgrown areas regularly to prevent an infestation.
   •     Closely examine all pets after playtime outdoors to detect embedded ticks.
   •     Safely remove ticks if found. Place fine-point tweezers around the tick as close to the pet’s skin as possible, and gently pull until the tick detaches. Disinfect the bite site and the tweezers after removal. Place the tick into a small container for later examination by a professional.

An infected tick must be attached to the pet for 48 hours before transmission of the disease occurs. So, as long as ticks are found immediately and disposed of, the pet should be in no danger.

Treatment for Lyme disease can be quite expensive, depending on the severity of the case. Trupanion covers this treatment as long as all preventative care advised by the pet’s veterinarian was followed and the first signs and symptoms did not appear prior to the pet’s full policy coverage.

About Trupanion™
Trupanion™ pet insurance offers cat insurance and dog insurance in the United States and Canada. Trupanion™ is self-underwritten by the American Pet Insurance Company, allowing Trupanion™ to offer a simple, customizable pet insurance policy with no payout limits and 90% coverage of veterinary bills. Enrolled pets receive lifetime coverage for diagnostic tests, surgeries, and medications if they get sick or are injured, with no incident, annual or lifetime limit. Trupanion’s mission is to deliver fast, simple and user-friendly financial support to pet owners. For more information about Trupanion™, call 800-569-7913 or visit http://www.TrupanionPetInsurance.com.

About the North American Pet Health Insurance Association
Trupanion™ is a founding member of the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA). Founded in 2007, the North American Pet Health Insurance Association is committed to educating and promoting the values and benefits of quality pet health insurance to North American pet owners, the general public, and the veterinary community. As an association, we are committed to high standards and transparency in all of our actions and products. To learn more, visit the North American Pet Health Insurance Association website at http://www.naphia.org.

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