One of the most common issues that arise for pet owners in the spring time is the infestation of ticks that always comes with the season. Most people in high risk areas know what ticks look like and closely inspect themselves and their animals after being outside, but not everyone knows what to do if they find a tick.
TickChek.com offers pet owners a way to have a tick tested for diseases without having to wait for symptoms or go to the veterinarian. All you have to do is remove the tick with tweezers, place it in a small plastic bag, order a tick kit from the website, mail the tick back to the lab and they will contact you with test results within 72 hours of receiving the tick.
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TickChek.com is a startup based in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. The company is dedicated to providing lab-quality tick testing to people in high-risk areas around the country for tick-borne diseases. They offer Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) based tick testing that is 99.9% accurate.
Their testing procedures can detect the presence of seven diseases including:
- Lyme disease
- Anaplasmosis
- Babesia
- Bartonella
- Ehrlichiosis
- Tularemia
- Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
Jonathan Weber is the founder and CEO of TickChek. He launched TickChek as a collaboration with his university's Wildlife DNA Laboratory. Weber became highly aware of the dangers of tick-borne diseases after his father caught Lyme disease during a hiking trip on the Appalachian Trail. Weber is also an avid hiker and is excited to help bring tick testing services to people for the first time via the internet.
Although the chances of your dog actually contracting a tick-borne illness are low, it is possible. However, the longer a tick is on your dog the greater the chances that a disease could be transmitted. As previously mentioned, it may take days or weeks for your pet to show symptoms, but you should monitor them very closely for months after they have been bitten by a tick.
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If your dog has been infected they will likely show sudden lameness and sometimes be in severe pain. Typically, one or more of their joints will seem to be the source of the pain. They may also run a fever and seem lethargic.
If you notice any symptoms, be sure to see your vet immediately. However, if your pet seems fine but you are curious and looking for answers, ordering a test kit from TickChek is a quick and easy way to get reliable results.
