May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month. Are you aware that Lyme disease affects both people and animals – and that, much like heartworm, cases have been spiking in the Southeastern United States?
Lyme disease is the most commonly reported vector-borne illness (disease transmitted by ticks, mosquitoes or fleas) in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Nearly 30,000 confirmed cases were reported in 2009. Since 1992, the reported annual cases of Lyme disease in the U.S. have tripled.
While most of the cases previously occurred in 12 Northeastern states, CDC data shows that Lyme disease has been spreading southward and westward from this region. Last year, there were more than 1,200 cases in Virginia.
The deer ticks that carry the disease are most active between May and July, so it is important to take precautions now to protect yourself and your pets (dogs are more susceptible to the disease than cats).
While people can immediately get a rash after being bitten by an infected tick, dogs sometimes don’t show symptoms for months, making it difficult to diagnose.
The first and most pronounced indication that your dog may have Lyme disease is lameness in his legs that shifts from one leg to the other, according to the Dog Health Handbook.
For more information about the prevention, symptoms and treatment of Lyme disease in dogs, see HOW TO Treat Your Dog’s Lyme Disease.
PHOTO: juggernautco
Category : Fleas and Ticks &News
The Dog Park 
- Comment help
- Get Livefyre
