Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 8A PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS THURSDAY. JUNE 17. 2021
Keep pet cats indoors and away from ticks ^
Bobcat fever poses serious threat to domestic cats
Serving North Georgia since 1978
Lyn Lewis, DVM
Kristen Parker, DVM
D.J. Esco, DVM
Kim Neff, DVM
99 Cove Road
Jasper, GA 30143
(706)692-2210
waysideah.com
I M
Domestic cats become infected with bobcat fever after
being bitten by an infected Lone Star tick (Amblyomma
americanum). A female Lone Star tick is shown here on a
fingertip for size.
'■<
-
i hey may protest, but cats are can live long, healthy lives
being kept inside.
By Denise M Hatcher
for CAES News
Experts at the University
of Georgia are urging cat
owners across the state to
proactively protect their pets
as cases of cytauxzoonosis,
or bobcat fever, an often fatal
tick-borne disease, are spik
ing in middle Georgia.
Five counties in particular
have seen a significant in
crease in cases of cytaux
zoonosis, caused by a
protozoa, which has a high
mortality rate if not diag
nosed in the earliest stages,
said Nancy Hinkle, UGA Ex
tension veterinary entomolo
gist. Baldwin, Greene,
Hancock, Jones and Putnam
counties are currently ground
zero for the deadly feline dis
ease.
But being proactive can
make all the difference for
pets, emphasized Hinkle.
“The primary way to keep
cats safe right now is to keep
them indoors, safe from
ticks,” she said. “As much as
they may protest, cats can be
indoor animals.”
Lone Star ticks pick up
the disease organisms by
feeding on bobcats and carry
it to domestic cats when they
feed on them. Interestingly,
bobcats — which are com
mon in Georgia — are unaf
fected by the protozoa.
If keeping pet cats inside
24 hours a day is not an op
tion, Hinkle said that the ani
mals should be protected
from the ticks using an effec
tive acaricidal product con
sistently and according to
label directions.
“That means the right
amount and the right timing.
Please do not overdose and
kill your pet while trying to
protect it from ticks,” she
warned. Suitable tick control
products can be found in the
home edition of the Georgia
Pest Management Handbook.
Bobcat fever shows up pe
riodically in domestic cats in
Georgia and is deadly to cats,
with more than 70% of in
fected cats dying unless they
receive immediate veterinary
care, Hinkle said. Cytaux
zoonosis results in protozoal
sepsis, characterized by sys
temic inflammatory re
sponse. Symptoms to look
for are lethargy, lack of ap
petite, fever, anemia (pale
gums), jaundice and diffi
culty breathing. Cats can be
come ill up to 15 days after a
tick bite.
“You know your cat — if
it’s not acting right, consult
your veterinarian,” Hinkle, a
cat owner, urged. “Again,
once a cat becomes sympto
matic, death can occur in less
than three days without vet
erinary treatment.”
Even so, because this dis
ease is not caused by bacte
ria, ordinary antibiotics are
not effective. Prevention is
the key.
Fortunately, humans nor
dogs are susceptible to bob
cat fever. However, dogs can
pass ticks on to cats living in
the same household. If pets
spend time outdoors, daily
tick checks are crucial, Hin
kle said.
“Run your fingers through
the animal’s coat, checking
particularly around the head
and neck as well as creases at
joints. Ticks should be
pinched close to the skin and
pulled out with firm pressure,
trying not to crush the tick.
Any recovered ticks should
be refrigerated in dated zip
per storage bags for a month
so they can be tested if the
animal falls ill,” she recom
mended.
Keith Fielder, Extension
coordinator for Hancock and
Putnam counties, has been
fielding calls for the past two
weeks from four of the hard
est-hit counties in Georgia as
citizens have been reaching
out for advice on tick control.
“This is a nasty disease.
Protection is necessary and
early treatment is crucial,” he
said of the consistent advice
he offers stressed callers.
Hinkle thinks this year’s
"cyclical phenomenon" is
likely due to the interactions
of a variety of environmental
factors that are out of a pet
owner’s control. The only
factor pet owners have con
trol over is exposure of pet
cats to ticks.
“All of my cats are strictly
indoor animals. They experi
ence no exposure to ticks.
While some cats may protest
not being allowed to roam
outdoors, they live longer
and healthier lives if they are
maintained as indoor pets,”
Hinkle said.
For more information
about controlling ticks and
other external parasites, see
the "Animals and Honey
Bees" section in the 2021
Home and Garden Edition of
the Georgia Pest Manage
ment Handbook.
her
the t
[Michele Hatcher
is the editor of the
Hexapod Herald. the
newsletter of the University
of Georgia Department of
Entomology’.]
Heartworm positive pups, Oreo
benefit from fundraising efforts
Be-Paws thanks everyone who donated
Wauside
Animal Hospital
Drawing the winners at the Jasper Farmers Market.
Edge Winery, Sharp Moun
tain Vineyards, Pendley
Creek Brewing Company,
Buffalo Luke’s - Jasper,
Johnny’s Pizza - Jasper, Ref
ormation Brewery - Canton,
Talking Rock Brewery,
LongHorn Steakhouse, Ap
palachian Gun, Pawn, Range
& Training, Stone Mill
Campground, Body Plex Fit
ness - Jasper, Escape &
Evade, Petsense, Natural
Market Place, Dairy Queen,
& Abba Dabba Dawg.
Update on Oreo:
His surgery at UGA went
smoothly and he seemed to
be doing quite well. The sur
gery basically opened up the
pulmonic valve which would
help reduce the pressure
within the heart to allow it to
function more normally.
However, after about 10 days
he started building up fluids
in his abdomen again. This is
the physical response when
pressure starts to build up in
the heart. We’d hope for a
better outcome, but we
learned from the UGA cardi
ologist after their assessment,
that Oreo was one of a small
percentage of cases that have
a recurrence of stenosis (nar
rowing of the valve) as the
body attempts to heal the
valve after surgery. Despite
this setback, Oreo still is an
energetic fellow and full of
life.
On a positive note, Oreo
now has a family and fur sib
lings that love him. He has
one crazy fur sister that will
put up with his antics and that
has given him a new perspec
tive on how to have fun. He
is a happy boy and will get
the best quality life possible.
Thank you to the UGA Car
diology Services Team and
Wayside Animal Hospital for
continuing to monitor his
health. Also thank you again,
to all that contributed to the
Oreo fundraiser.
cat health
d protected
eep your cat neauny an
ith devolution dlud j^or Cdats
The Be-Paws We Care
team would like to thank all
that donated toward the
“Have a Heart” raffle
fundraiser. A special thanks
also to our sponsors, The
Last Catch & Sharp Top
Catering. All proceeds
($3,920) will go to the treat
ment of our homeless heart-
worm positive pups. Also,
thank you to the Pickens
Progress for helping us pro
mote our fundraiser.
The winning tickets were
drawn by the Jasper Farmers
Market manager, Jenny Fel-
lenbaum on Saturday, May
29th. Congratulations to the
winners...
1 st prize - two nights in a
Blue Ridge Cabin - Ryan
Klink;
2nd prize - Fun, Fitness
and Fido - Jennifer Hall Pin-
nell;
3rd prize - Date Night -
Sally Dye;
4th Prize - Barkin’ Good
Bites and Brews - Hannelori
Schmid.
Thank you also to all of
the raffle contributors:
Bigun’s Barbeque, Sharp Top
Catering, Falany Performing
Arts Center, Cartecay Vine
yards, Waldmet Cellars, The
Old Mulehouse, Feather’s
Oreo’s surgery went
smoothly and he is energetic
and full of life.
Flea and Tick
season is here
Register for school now!
Classes begin Aug. 2 nd
A i
Catch up from COVID!
Give your child an award-winning,
accredited Christian education.
AHLBERG ACADEMY
1 ROOM SCHOOL HOUSE FOR THE 21 ST CENTURY
770 735-4853
AhLbergacademy.com