Lyme disease is an infection of a bacterium known as Borrelia burgdorferi. This organism normally lives in mice, squirrels and other small animals. In the Northeastern United States, the black-legged tick, also known as the deer tick, transmits the disease from mice to other mammals, including deer, dogs and humans. No other major species of ticks in the Northeast have been found to transmit Lyme disease.

The adult tick attaches to a host, such as you or your dog, and takes a blood meal. During this time, it must continually suck blood, regurgitating enzymes that prevent clotting and keeping the blood flowing. It is during this process that the bacterium (Borrelia burgdorferi) is transferred from the tick to the host. This process requires approximately 24 to 48 hours, if the tick is removed before the bacterium is transmitted, the host will not get the disease.

If you frequently find ticks on your dog, or if you travel to an area where ticks are predominant, you may consider using a topical tick prevention. There are several topical preventatives, a small tube of liquid applied directly to your dog’s skin once a month. We carry Frontline® Plus and K9 advantix®. Frontline® kills ticks within 48 hours. K9 advantix® repels ticks, and kills ticks that come in contact with your pet within 24-48 hours.

A vaccine to help protect your dog from Lyme disease is available, though depending on your dog’s risk of exposure, it may not be appropriate to vaccinate them against it. We recommend that you discuss with your veterinarian your dog’s lifestyle and risks of exposure to ticks and Lyme disease before choosing to vaccinate or use preventative.

When we test your dog for heartworm disease each year, we are also testing for three tick borne diseases: Lyme, Erlichia and Anaplasmosis. If your dog’s test comes back positive, it does not mean that they have contracted Lyme disease. It means that at some point since the last negative test, your dog was exposed to Lyme disease and what the test reveals is an increase in antibodies against the Lyme bacterium. In a Lyme endemic area as many as 90% of dogs will test positive for these antibodies. It is important to know that most exposed dogs never show symptoms of the disease and do not require treatment.

If you find a tick on your dog, remove it as soon as possible. Watch for appetite, fever and lethargy. Lameness may occur at the same time or may occur later. Contact us if your dog is not feeling well. The disease can be treated relatively easily with antibiotics if caught early.

In humans, the Lyme disease bacterium can infect several parts of the body, producing different symptoms at different times. It can be difficult to diagnose, not all patients with Lyme disease exhibit symptoms, and many of the symptoms can be associated with other diseases as well. There is much controversy as to whether Lyme disease in humans can become a chronic illness. In most cases it can be cured with antibiotics if treated early in the course of the infection. There have been no known fatalities related to Lyme disease in the State of Maine. Lyme is not passed from person to person and there is no credible evidence that you can get it from your pet.

Resources: VeterinaryPartner.com, Federal Center for Disease Control. Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention