05/30/2026
🐾 A Community Reminder for Tick Season 🐾
Living in the Lower Mainland means sharing outdoor spaces with wildlife — and with ticks.
Ticks can transmit several diseases that affect pets, many of which share similar early signs such as fever, lethargy, and joint pain.
Depending on species and location, pets in southern BC may be exposed to:
🐾 Anaplasmosis, an infection of blood cells and joints
🐾 Ehrlichiosis, which can suppress the immune system
🐾 Tick paralysis, caused by toxins in tick saliva; rare but serious
In British Columbia, the western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus) is the primary species associated with Lyme disease on the West Coast.
With prevention, daily checks, and early attention to subtle changes, most families can enjoy the season with confidence.
However, if a pet is comes into contact with ticks, it should be known that many tick-borne diseases overlap in their early signs and diagnostic testing is often necessary when pets become ill after tick exposure.
BBVSH is here to support pets, families, and referring veterinarians throughout Surrey, Vancouver, and the Lower Mainland.
Should your pet require immediate medical assistance, we are available for emergencies 24/7/365, including statutory holidays.
We are centrally located just off Highway 1, accessible ~30 minutes from anywhere in Metro Vancouver.
Emergency walk-ins welcome.
As a VECCS Level 1 certified hospital, we are capable of handling even the most critical, life-threatening emergencies and trauma, with specialists on staff and on call to handle any medical or surgical issue your pet may be experiencing.
For more information, visit: https://bbvsh.com/blog/lyme-disease-ticks-and-pets-what-families-in-british-columbia-should-know/
