Lyme disease diagnosed in P.E.I. dogs

The Prince Edward Island Veterinary Medical Association says Lyme disease, an infection transmitted by deer ticks, is being diagnosed in dogs in Prince Edward Island.

The association is alerting the public that ticks are being found in ever-expanding geographical regions, including areas where tick-related diseases were thought to be rare or had not previously been reported.

It says traveling off Island, hiking in woods, and being in open fields will increase a dog's risk of tick exposure.

Ticks are found naturally in grasses, especially long grasses, on the edge of fields and in wooded areas, and they climb onto people and dogs.

Often the ticks are not seen on an animal before they transmit Lyme disease. The association says there are products and vaccinations available to prevent Lyme disease.