Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is an ever emerging problem and it is literally creeping into our area.

The last two months we have been performing free tick testing with our heartworm tests. So far we have found Lyme and Ehrlichiosis positive dogs. Most have these patients were most likely recently infected and are currently not clinical for either disease. If you are seeing ticks, its a very good chance one of those gross creatures is carrying some tick borne illness. As weather patterns change its only going to get worse. So is there a way to prevent tick borne illnesses. The answer is Yes! First lets take a look at Lyme disease according to the Companion Animal Parasite Council and then we will take a look out how to keep your dog safe.

What is Lyme Disease and How does it occur
Lyme Disease is also called Borrelia burgdorferi. Dogs and cats become infected with B. burgdorferi when feeding ticks inoculate the organisms. In North America, the eastern and western black-legged tick, have been shown to transmit the infection to dogs. Also given the  common name of “deer tick.”

What is Lyme Disease and How does it occur

• Most dogs exposed to Lyme disease appear to develop subclinical infections. (which mean they don't really show clinical signs)
• Dogs with acute Lyme borreliosis may present with fever, shifting leg lameness, swollen joints, enlarged lymph nodes, lethargy, depression, and anorexia. In general, clinical improvement is observed following initiation of antibiotic therapy.
• Chronic disease is also associated with shifting leg lameness and  progressive joint changes.  Acute progressive kidney failure has also been described.

Prevalence

 

Host Association and Transmission between Hosts

• Pets become infected with B. burgdorferi upon inoculation of organisms by tick feeding. Ticks are not able to transmit infection immediately upon first attachment to a host, but instead require a period of approximately 24 to 48 hours of initial feeding before organisms are able to pass across the salivary glands and into the  host. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT IN RESPECT TO PREVENTION!

How do we make a  Diagnosis

• A clinical diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis usually depends on the presence of compatible clinical signs and positive serology for B. burgdorferi.
• While your patient is at the clinic we will often start with a test called a 4DX snap test that includes a heartworm test and several of the most common tick born diseases in our area. This includes Lyme disease!
•   We may pursue further serology if the test is negative and we still believe the patient is clinical for Lyme disease. 

Treatment

• The standard treatment for disease caused by B. burgdorferi infection in dogs and people is a antibiotic called doxycycline . Long courses of treatment may be necessary in some dogs, particularly those with kidney disease.

How do we Prevent Lyme Disease in your Dog.

• Vaccines are available to limit Lyme  in dogs. The decision to vaccinate against Lyme should be based on a risk assessment of the individual dog that includes information about where the dog lives and how often it frequents a tick-infested area. By talking with one of our veterinarians they  can help you make the decision as to whether your dog is a good candidate for this vaccine.  
• Vaccination against Lyme  does not replace the need for stringent tick-control programs in pets. Vaccines may not protect against all strains of B. burgdorferi, and ticks harbor multiple pathogens for which vaccines are not yet available. For this reason, CAPC recommends that all pets be maintained year-round on tick protection. These include Bravecto, Frontline, Nexgard, Seresto or Preventic collars. We can also help you choose which one of these would be best for your pet as well.

• Attached ticks found on pets should be promptly removed to prevent transmission of disease. To avoid both zoonotic infection and accidental inoculation of pathogens into the pet during the removal process, ticks should be retracted using forceps or a commercial tick-removal device, and care should be taken to avoid contact with tick contents, ideally by wearing gloves. Careful attention to handwashing following tick removal is also recommended.

Public Health Considerations

Lyme borreliosis caused by B. burgdorferi is the most common vector-borne disease of people in the United States. Symptoms of human Lyme disease include a ‘bull’s-eye-shaped’ rash expanding from the site of the tick bite, fever, and headache. Persistent Lyme disease in people may be manifested by recurrent arthritis, neurologic disease, and heart disease.

• People contract Lyme infection the same way that pets do: via the bite of an infected tick from a tick-infested environment.
• Epidemiologists at the CDC reported a positive correlation between canine seroprevalence levels reported on the CAPC website to the incidence of human Lyme disease reported to the CDC.

• Prevention of human infection  relies on preventing tick bites in people through many of the same measures that prevent tick bites on animals.
• Veterinarians recognize that dogs can be sentinels for the risk of Lyme disease to people.

So What should we do?

• We should continue to monitor for Tick borne illness and be aware that it is moving into our area
• Most importantly we should keep our pets on Tick prevention (remember it takes 24-48 hours to transmit this disease) this gives time for your preventions to kill the tick and prevent transmission
• Tick prevention is now easy and we can help you pick a topical, chew or collar.
• Those who are at high risk should receive a Lyme vaccine
• If your dog tests positive for Lyme disease, you should let your own physician know!