Lyme disease is on the rise
Once thought to be a very localized and uncommon disease, Lyme has become widespread in both humans and animals within many regions of the U.S.
This may be due to three major factors:
- People are spending more time outside
- Populations of white tail deer are expanding
- Mild winters are making it possible for rodent populations to expand rapidly
Lyme disease doesnāt come from deer
Lyme disease is transmitted by the so called āDeer Tickā but the deer plays no role in the diseaseās development. Deer only serve as a preferred host for the tick. The Lyme disease organism, called Borrelia burgdorferi, lives in mice and small rodents. When ticks feed on these animals they become infected carriers. When the tick next feeds on a susceptible individual or dog, the organism is transmitted.
Lyme disease takes time to transmit
Once a tick attaches itself to a host it begins feeding on the hostās blood almost immediately. It takes 36-48 hours for the organism to enter the host and for the host to become infected with the Lyme organism.
Lyme disease is a year-round threat
Although there are seasonal variations in tick populations, ticks should be considered a year-round threat, as should the different diseases they transmit. The cold months of winter do not ākill offā ticks. They just hunker down and wait for the first warm day.
Where ticks hide
Ticks prefer shaded areas such as wooded areas, high grass, and brush.
On dogs, you'll usually find ticks in the more vascular areas where blood vessels are closest to the surface: the head, the neck, and the ears. They may also crawl into harder-to-spot places in an attempt to hide from the dog such as in between the toes or inside the ears.
The best way to remove a tick
The best way to remove a tick is with sharpened tweezers and with gloves on. Grab them as far down by the head as you can and pull them off.
Lyme disease symptoms
The most well-known symptom of Lyme disease in humans is the distinctive, circular bull's-eye rash that many patients develop between a week and a month after they're bitten. In dogs, this symptom is often hard to see. So, the first clinical signs that we see in dogs are pain, fever, and lameness. That means that by the time you spot symptoms of a tick bite on your dog, he or she will
likely already be infected.
How to protect your pets
Itās always a good idea to check yourself and your dog carefully right after spending time outside. Remember, some of the tick larvae you are looking for may be no larger than a poppy seed.
There are also a number of oral, topical, and collar products on the market to help repel ticks as well as a vaccine to help prevent Lyme disease. We do caution against using more than one tick repellent in tandem as it would be too much poison for the dog. However, you can combine one of the topical or oral preventatives with the Lyme vaccine so that you can further protect your pet from contracting the disease.
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