Increase Your Awareness of Tick-Borne Disease

Facts about Lyme disease

1. Lyme disease was first recognized in dogs in 1985.
2. Lyme disease is caused by bacteria called Borrelia Burgdorferi.
3. Lyme disease is named after the town it was first discovered in ,Lyme, Connecticut.
4. The most obvious symptom of Lyme is arthritis.
5. However renal, cardiac ,and neurologic disease may also occur ,making Lyme disease hard to identify.
6. Proper prevention for Lyme disease is by having your dog vaccinated against Lyme and using a monthly tic preventatives such as Frontline or K9 Advatix.
7. Lyme disease is carried and transmitted by the Deer Tick.
8. The tick must be attached to its host for 48-72 hours for the bacteria to be transmitted.
9. Lyme disease can be found in every U.S. state and Canadian province.
10. Lyme disease is the most common tick borne disease in the U.S.
11. Massachusetts has had 25,496 reported cases of Lyme disease.
12. 5,739 of those reported cases are from the Middlesex County.
13. Lyme disease (Borrelia Burgdorferi) was discovered in 1982 by the infected tick. Dr. Willy Burgdorfer, in Lyme, Connecticut.
14. Symptoms of Lyme disease usually occur 2-5 months after being bitten by the infected tick.
15. Once a dog tests positive for Lyme disease, it will almost always test positive in the future, even if not showing any symptoms.

Facts about Anaplasma

1. Anaplasmosis causes lameness and is often confused with Lyme disease.
2. Infection with Anaplasma results in a cycle of abnormal decrease in the number of blood platelets.
3. Anaplasmosis was first reported in dogs from Minnesota and Wisconsin in 1996.
4. The primary vector for Anaplasma in the Northeast is the Deer Tick.
5. Anaplasma can infect a wide range of mammals, including dogs, cats, horses, ruminants, people, and many wildlife species.
6. Transmission from a tick to your dog requires prolonged tick attachment and feeding of 24 hours or more.
7. The most common symptoms of Anaplasmosis are joint pain and lameness.
8. Other symptoms of infection include fever, lethargy, anorexia, and general muscle pain resulting in reluctance to move.
9. As well as gastrointestinal problems such as vomiting, and/or diarrhea, or respiratory signs such as coughing and lab Massachusetts has had 4,446 reported cases of Anaplasmosis.
10. 629 of those reported cases are from the Middlesex County.
11. The best way to prevent Anaplasmosis is to use a monthly tick preventative such as Frontline® or K9 Advantix®.

 

Facts about Ehrlichiosis

1. Ehrlichiosis is the second most common canine infectious disease in the U.S.
2. Another name for Ehrlichiosis is “The Tracker Dog Disease.”
3. Ehrlichiosis is caused by the Ehrlichia organism.
4. It is transmitted by ticks such as the Brown Dog Tick, and the Lone Star Tick.
5. Ehrlichia can live in the developing tick for up to 5 months.
6. This means a tick could become infected in the fall, and infect a dog the following spring.
7. Every state in the U.S. has reported a case of Ehrlichiosis.
8. Massachusetts has had 1,262 reported cases of Ehrlichiosis.
9. 290 of those reported cases are from the Middlesex County.
10. Ehrlichiosis can have three phases: Acute, Subclinical, and Chronic.
11. The acute phase will usually develop just 1-3 weeks after being bitten by an infected tick.