As the weather warms, ticks become more active — although climate change has expanded their scope to year-round in many places. One of the most common tick-related issues dogs face is Lyme disease, a bacterial infection spread by black-legged ticks, like deer ticks.

Although most infected animals don’t show clinical signs, those that do can really suffer. The most common symptoms in dogs are lameness, swelling of joints and lymph nodes, fatigue and loss of appetite. However, some dogs develop serious kidney complications.

Tick preventatives significantly reduce the risk of infection, but high-risk dogs may benefit from vaccination too. Ask your veterinarian what’s best for your dog, then stick to the plan all year long.