National Vizsla Association
Lyme Disease
This article was compliled and written by Patty Mead. It first appeared in the National Vizsla Association newsletter Fall 2000. Because it appeared in sections we will add the next section to the article after it appears in print.
[Editor’s Note: This article is the result of reviewing quite a number of web sites and articles that detail information on Lyme Disease. It is, in part, a compliation of these materials and, where possible, I've included a link to the site from which certain information was gathered. I have always found knowledge to be the key in helping ourselves and our dogs -- so visit the sites I've references as each of them have very good information and advice.]
Lyme Disease in Dogs, Part 1
According to the American Lyme Disease Foundation (aka ALDF, www.aldf.com ), Lyme disease (LD) is an infection caused by the spirochete (a thin spiral parasite that lives in the animal or human host, see photo below).
The spirochete is named Borrelia
burgdorferi and is carried in the USA by deer ticks. An infected
tick transmits the spirochete in its bite. Untreated, the
bacterium travels through the bloodstream, establishes itself in
various body tissues that then can cause a number of symptoms.
This series of articles will present information from many
Internet referenced sources (main sources are bolded and the
website addresses are included) concerning the disease as it
relates to humans and dogs or horses. As with all medical related
information, it is best to learn all you can about the problem
and seek expert advice from your medical doctor or veterinarian.
The photos reproduced in this article series are from the The
Lyme Disease Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention websites.
The facts can be startling, LD accounts for 90% of vector-borne infections in the USA. From 1980 to 1998 about 112,000 human cases have been reported from 49 states. Information about LD abounds; in fact, it was announced back in 1997 that the complete genome of the Borrelia burgdorferi had been sequenced. But still we wait for science to better help us live with or vanquish this potentially debilitating disease. What we do know is described below.
Two types of ticks are the most
common carriers of this disease in the USA, the black-legged tick
(Ixodes scapularis), and the Western black-legged tick (Ixodes
pacificus). Indications are that the lone star tick (Ixodes
neotomae) should be added to the list as well, but research is
ongoing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
National Center for Infectious Diseases (www.cdc.gov ) report
that “ixodes ticks are much smaller than common dog and
cattle ticks. In their larval and nymphal stages, they are no
bigger than a pinhead while adult ticks are slightly
larger.”
The CDC also reports that “in the United States, the highest incidence occurs in the Northeast, from Massachusetts to Maryland. North-central states, especially Wisconsin and Minnesota. West Coast, particularly northern California.” According to the Lyme Disease Foundation (www.lyme.org ), in other parts of the world, other ticks are responsible for transmitting the disease, such as the sheep tick (Ixodes ricinus) in Europe, and the Taiga tick (Ixodes persulcatus) in Asia.
LD manifests itself as a multi-system inflammatory disease that in humans affects the skin in its early, localized stage, and then spreads primarily to the joints, the nervous system, and then to other organs. With regard to our dogs, it appears that they have similar symptoms to people. At the same time, some animals such as dogs and horses may display no symptoms at all. Lyme disease has been reported in a variety of other animals including cats, goats, and cattle. The CDC writes, “domestic animals may become infected with Lyme disease bacteria and some of these (dogs, for instance) may develop arthritis. Domestic animals can carry infected ticks into areas where humans live, but whether pet owners are more likely than others to get Lyme disease is unknown.”
Next issue we’ll look at specific symptoms for dogs/horses and what you can do for prevention and treatment .
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Ingle & Mead created 9/13/97, updated 03/05/2002