Why You Should Be Concerned About Ticks on Your Pets Ticks Carry a Variety of Diseases Ticks carry a variety of very debilitating diseases.  These include Lyme Disease, Babesia, Erlichia, Bartonella and many other diseases that can make both people and animals sick.  Although you may be careful when you hike or are out in “tick country”, your dog, cat, horse or other animals that you are affectionate with may bring ticks into your home, where they may transfer from your animal to you.  If you get bit by the tick, you are at risk of developing a painful, chronic illness. Lyme Disease Awareness You may be wondering why I decided to write about ticks and tick diseases this month.  Well, May is Lyme Disease Awareness month and I have Chronic Lyme Disease.  There were times in my life that I was bedridden due to the disease.  I am not sure when I was bitten, as I have never removed a tick from my body and I have never had the “bullseye rash” (actually, less than 50% of Lyme Disease patients actually get one.)  Because I hiked, camped, rode horses, worked in zoos and lived an outdoor life, I could [...]