While we may be tempted to think of ticks as merely a mild irritation, this simply is not true. Tick bites may carry with them a host of nasty diseases. Many of these can be transmitted to both you and your pet, including the bacteria which causes lyme disease. Furthermore, warmer winters have seen the tick population on the rise in many regions. This means getting your pets tested for tick exposure is vital to protect your pets' wellbeing as well as your own: timely testing can act as an early warning sign for human health, catching lyme disease exposure as early as possible. More than ever, it is absolutely vital to include annual blood screenings for heartworm and tick exposure in your pet's healthcare plan.