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West Chelsea Veterinary 248 West 26th Street, New York, NY 10001 (212) 645-2767

Summer 2015

If you plan to spend time in a tick-friendly environment, consider these tips to minimize the chance of a tick bite:• If possible, wear long sleeved shirts and pants.• Wear light-colored clothing, which makes it easier to spot ticks• Examine you and your dog for ticks every two to three hours when outside, and brush them off before they get a chance to attach.• Bath or shower promptly after returning • Perform a full body check multiple times each day to ensure that no ticks are attached to you and your dog.

ummer is a season of warmth, sunshine and increased outdoor activity. As a result, it is also a time when humans and pets alike are susceptible to tick bites and tick-borne diseases.

Since vaccines are not available for every tick-borne disease that afflicts dogs – and no vaccine can prevent dogs from bringing ticks into your home – it is important to use a tick preventative product on your dog.

Ticks typically reside in tall brush or grass. When they attach themselves to dogs, these parasites usually remain close to the head, neck, feet and ear area. However, they can be located anywhere on a dog’s body in a case of severe infestation.

Whether you are walking your dog through a park in the city, or exploring with your dog in a tick-friendly area outside of the city, it is ideal to make a tick check part of your daily routine – for you and your dog.

Tick bites on dogs can be difficult to detect because symptoms may not appear for one to three weeks. Considering that it can take 24 to 48 hours for a tick to transmit an infection to its host once attached, it is crucial to promptly and properly remove the parasite.

Lyme Disease is the most commonly known tick-borne ailment. Others tick-borne diseases include ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, anaplasmosis and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever among others.

The primary carrier of Lyme Disease is the deer tick. Symptoms that your dog has the condition include fatigue, depression, loss of appetite, fever, swelling of the lymph nodes, lameness and swollen, painful joints. If your dog exhibits these symptoms, we recommend that you bring them to our office, where we will evaluate him or her through a physical exam, blood tests and, if needed, radiographs. Usually, Canine Lyme disease can be effectively treated with antibiotics.

Canine ehrlichiosis is transmitted by the brown dog tick. Similar to Lyme Disease, canine ehrlichiosis symptoms may not be obvious. Common symptoms depression and fatigue, loss of appetite, runny eyes and nose, spontaneous nose bleeds, bruising on the gums and belly and lameness and joint pain.

Typically transmitted by the brown dog tick, Babesiosis can also be spread from dog to dog if an infected canine bites another. Babesiosis impacts red blood cells. The dog’s immune system attempts to eliminate the infected blood cells, which can lead to anemia and general weakness. Fatigue, vomiting, a lack of appetite and weight loss can also occur.

There are two forms of canine anaplasmosis. Anaplasma phagocytophilum is transmitted by the deer tick

(or black-legged tick) and is an infection of the white blood cells. Common signs can include

loss of appetite, fatigue, lameness and neck pain. Anaplasma platys, the other form, is an infection

of the blood platelets that is transmitted by the brown dog tick and can result in bleeding disorders. Symptoms include bruising on the

gums and belly, and spontaneous nosebleeds.

Transmitted by the American dog tick and the lone star tick, Rocky Mountain Spotted fever appears abrupty with severe illness lasting about two weeks. Common symptoms include arthritis-like stiffness when walking and neurological abnormalities.

Ticks can move from host to host, whether that host is a dog or a human. For example, a tick can take a ride on you and then move onto one of your pets, or vice versa. This is why it is important to examine all family members, especially after venturing outside wooded, leafy or grassy areas whether you are in an urban or rural setting. Run your fingers over your dog’s entire body. If you find a bump or a swollen area, look closely to see if a tick has burrowed. Check your dog’s torso, around his face and chin, between his toes, inside his ears and under his armpits.

If you do spot a tick, take caution when removing the parasite. Keep in mind that any contact with the tick’s blood can potentially transmit infection to your dog or to you. Don’t believe the myths of using nail polish, Vaseline or burned matches to kills ticks that are embedded in the skin. First, treat the area with rubbing alcohol. Then, with tweezers, pull the tick upwards without twisting. Remove the biting head and other body parts. Do not crush or handle a tick. Be sure to wash the affected bite area as well as your hands.

S

ne afternoon a few years ago, Nancy George-Michalson sat on a bench in Central Park with her husband and their poodle, Kally. That is where a chance encounter with a stranger hatched an idea that has provided abundant benefits for New Yorkers and their canine friends.

“It was a beautiful day, and we were relaxing and talking when a man in a wheelchair saw Kally and asked if he could pet her,” Nancy explained. “He asked if he could hold her, so I put Kally in his lap. He started petting her, they looked at each other and you could how happy he felt. A passer-by saw the man with Kally and suggested that she would make an ideal therapy dog. That launched the path we are still on today.”

Curious about what is called animal-assisted therapy, Nancy researched the topic and decided to enroll in a training program so the duo could become a certified team. Then, in early 2014, Nancy launched New York Therapy Animals, which is an affiliate of Utah-based Intermountain Therapy Animals.

Multiple studies indicate that frequent human interaction with animals can reduce anxiety, decrease blood pressure, reduce loneliness and enhance a person’s mental outlook and quality of life. Interactions with dogs have been proven to reduce cortisol, a chemical associated with stress, and elevate oxytocin, a hormone that generates a sense of happiness and bonding. Interestingly, studies also show that dogs experience a rise in oxytocin when they are pet, which is why animal-assisted therapy is beneficial for humans and their canine friends alike.

“Dogs are used for therapeutic reasons to comfort people, make people smile, make people forget pain and give people something to look forward to among other reasons,” Nancy said. “It is rewarding for the person visiting with the dog, the dog and the handler.”

New York Therapy Dogs places animal-assisted therapy teams in hospitals, schools, libraries, assisted living facilities and other venues, Nancy explains. In the vicinity of West Chelsea Veterinary Clinic, Nancy’s organization has teams visit patients at CancerCare on Seventh Avenue. The dogs also visit hospitals, where they help motivate patients get out of their beds and become active by walking the dogs.

New York Therapy Dogs even helps college students who are preparing for final exams.

“There is a lot of stress in preparing for exams, so we bring therapy dogs into colleges for a meet and greet and it offers the students a chance to relax and get that feeling of well-being that being around an animal provides,” Nancy said, “Dogs tend to eliminate any feeling of tension ad negativity. Many people agree that, when holding a dog, they feel loved, and that bolsters confidence and self-esteem,”

New York Therapy Dogs also participates in R.E.A.D (Reading Education Assistance Dogs), a national program where dogs attend

West Chelsea Veterinary 248 West 26th Street, New York, NY 10001 (212) 645-2767 www.westchelseavet.com

libraries and sit with a child as the child reads.

“With R.E.A.D, a child reads to the dog with assistance from the handler, who receives training for the program,” Nancy explained. “A dog is non-judgmental and will sit quietly and listen. He doesn’t criticize or laugh. Reading to a dog out loud gives these children confidence and contributes to improving their reading comprehension.

“Simply put, children are empowered and become the tutor,” Nancy added. “If a child is having trouble with what he or she is reading,

the handler could say to the child, for example, ‘Kally doesn’t understand. Can you explain it to her?’ That gives the child satisfaction that he or she is helping the dog, and consequently it allows the child to absorb the reading material.”

Dogs naturally possess positive effects, but to become certified for animal-assisted therapy they require extensive training to make sure they are equipped with the skills to engage with humans. Their handlers also need training so they understand how to guide their dogs.

If animal-assisted therapy sparks the same reaction in you as it did with Nancy, the next New York Therapy Animals one-day workshop is Sunday, August 1. You attend that session without your dog. Six-week therapy dog training classes begin Saturday, July 25.

Every New York Therapy Animals team is registered and insured. Training classes are conducted by Michele Siegel, a certified professional dog trainer and a member the Association of Professional Dog Trainers. Training is also provided to certify you and your dog to participate in New York Therapy Dogs R.E.A.D., which sends teams to New York City public libraries and schools.

For more information, and for training program reservations, email Nancy at NGM-ART@nyc.rr.com. You can learn more about the organization at www.NewYorkTherapyAnimals.com.

New York Therapy AnimalsO

“A dog isnon-judgmental

and will sit quietly and

listen. He doesn’t

criticize or laugh.”