About the Disease
Dogs, cats, people, horses, birds, cattle, and other wild animals can be
infected by by the bacteria-like Borrelia burgdorferi organism
which causes the symptoms called Lyme disease primarily in dogs and
humans. The most usual symptoms in dogs are sore joints, a stiff
gait, and lameness, which is not always pronounced and may shift to
different legs. Other symptoms include weight loss, fever, fatigue and
swollen lymph glands. Also, untreated, the disease may progress to
affect other organ systems, including the heart and kidneys.
Transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi occurs in our area via the deer tick, Ixodes dammini.
White-tailed deer and white-footed mouse are involved in the
transmission cycle of this disease: the adult tick attaches to the deer
and feeds on its blood, drop off the deer and lay eggs. After hatching,
larva and nymphs (young ticks) emerge and attach to mice, and since the
white-footed mouse is the main reservoir of the disease, the young ticks
become infected with the Borrelia organism. Both the young ticks
(nymphs) and the adult ticks can transmit the disease to other animals
(and people). Researchers believe that the tick must attach to the
animal for a period of 10-24 hours before the Borrelia organism
becomes infectious.
Diagnosis: Lyme Disease can be difficult to diagnose and can
resemble other diseases. A complete veterinary examination along
with blood tests, and possibly medication trials, may be required to
diagnose Lyme disease. Our routine Heartworm blood test includes a screening test for Lyme disease. Your veterinarian will discuss further diagnostic and treatment options should this screening test be positive for Lyme disease.
Ticks are generally found in wooded areas and tall grasses and
are most active during the warm months. Peak tick seasons in our area are April through June, and September through November. Ticks can be active on any warm day, year round (a tick will bite and feed on a warm day in February). Ask your Veterinarian about year round tick control. Pets should be examined daily
for ticks and they should be removed immediately if found (Remember that
the tick must attach for a period of 10-24 hours before the Borrelia
organism can be transmitted). It is recommended not to use
bare hands to remove them - use latex gloves, tweezers, etc..
Unfortunately the ticks that carry Lyme disease may be extremely small.
The nymph stage of the deer tick is about the size of a pinhead, and
often are not seen.
Tick Control: Aside from physical removal, the best
products for tick control on your dog are Frontline®
- a topical liquid applied to the back of the neck which gives
protection (for ticks and fleas) for approximately 1 month, and Preventic®,
a collar exclusively for tick protection for 3 months. Both are
exclusively veterinary prescription products and are available at our
Hospital.
Vaccination: There is a vaccine for the prevention of
Lyme disease in dogs. It has proven effective in manufacturers
clinical studies, and in the past we have recommended it primarily for animals who travel,
especially to areas known to have more concern with this disease (areas
such as Plum Island, Essex/Ipswitch area, parts of the Cape,
etc.). Deer ticks, Lyme Disease and other tick-born diseases are now commonly seen in Andover and the surrounding areas. We recommend the Lyme Vaccine for all dogs who are bitten by ticks. The vaccines consist of an initial set of 2
vaccinations is given to dogs 9 weeks of age or older. Thereafter, an
annual vaccination is administered.
