Lyme Disease, or Borreliosis
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©1996, 1997 HomeVet
General
Information
Borreliosis
is a widespread serious disease that can affect dogs,
horses, cattle, birds, wild animals, cats (not as commonly)
and people. White-tailed deer and white -footed mice
appear to be natural carriers. The disease is caused
by Borrelia burgdorferi, a corkscrew-shaped
bacterium. The organism is usually transmitted by the
pinhead-sized, dark brown nymphs of deer ticks. Other
types of ticks may also transmit the disease.
After the larva
hatches from the tick egg, it attaches to small rodents,
such as the white-footed mouse. As it feeds on the mouse's
blood, the larva becomes infected with the Borrelia
organism. The larva matures into a nymph, which feeds
on the blood of animals and people. The Borrelia organism
is not injected into the host animal until the tick
has been attached for at least 24 hours. Though adult
ticks can also spread the disease, the nymph stage poses
the greatest threat during the summer months because
of its very small size.
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Symptoms
Many
people having the disease develop a characteristic rash
at the site of the bite within 3 to 30 days. For these
people, the disease can be easily diagnosed at an early
stage. However, symptoms of Lyme Disease are more difficult
to detect in animals than in people.
This characteristic
rash does not develop in dogs or cats. Because the other
symptoms of the disease may be delayed or not recognized,
and because the symptoms are similar to those of many
other diseases, Lyme disease in animals is often not
considered until other diseases have been eliminated.
Many dogs affected
with Lyme disease are taken to a veterinarian because
they seem to be experiencing generalized pain and have
stopped eating. Affected dogs have been described as
if they were "walking on eggshells." Often these animals
have high fevers. Other common early signs include lameness,
fever, joint swelling and pain, and swollen lymph nodes.
Within days, weeks or even months, more serious signs
develop, such as heart, brain and joint disorders. Painful
joint swelling is the most common advanced sign.
A person is unlikely
to contract the disease from a pet unless he were to
remove an unattached tick from the pet and allow the
tick to feed on him (though there is evidence that pulling
a tick off with the bare hands can transmit the disease
so use a Trix tick remover).
The Borrelia
organism has been found in the urine of infected animals,
but the disease has never been proven to be spread via
the urine.
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Prevention
Protect
Yourself: For walks in woods, fields or meadows
during the tick season, protect yourself from tick infestation
by wearing clothing in a way that prevents ticks from
gaining access to your skin (long sleeves and pants
with cuffs tucked into socks). Wear a hat to protect
your head.
Close
Inspection: Always closely inspect your pet
and yourself after walking in woods, fields or meadows.
If your detect any ticks, do not crush the tick's body
during removal. Rather, use tweezers or forceps (or
a specialized tick removal device such as the Trix tick
remover) to grasp the tick's head as close to your pet's
skin as possible, and gently remove the tick to avoid
separation of the tick's head from its body.
The key to prevention
is keeping your dog from being exposed to ticks. Ticks
are found in grassy, wooded, and sandy areas. They find
their way onto an animal by climbing to the top of a
leaf, blade of grass, or short tree (especially cedar
trees). Here they wait until their sensors detect a
close-by animal on which to crawl or drop.
Keeping animals
from thick underbrush reduces their exposure to ticks.
Dogs should be kept on trails when walked near wooded
or tall grass areas. In areas of heavy exposure, acaracides
(not insecticides) and repellents (such as Avon Skin
So Soft) can be used to control tick infestation on
your pet. Preventic® collars (prescription collars
only for ticks) are the most effective
products available.
In my opinion,
neither the recombinant nor the bacterin vaccinations
for Lyme disease are safe (though they can be effective
at preventing the acute disease). The recombinant vaccine
uses the same recombinant DNA technology as the human
vaccine. The human vacccine has been recalled.
There is currently a class action lawsuit against the
manufacturer of the human vaccine. Dogs at high
risk should receive preventative homeopathic treatment,
species appropriate (fresh meat-based) nutrition, and
close daily inspection (if in a high-risk area).
Even if they still get the disease (due to overwhelming
exposure) acute treatment (both with homeopathic remedies
and antibiotics) is usually highly effective.
As always, prevention is the key.
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Treatment
Fortunately
Lyme disease, when caught in the early stages, is easily
treated with oral antibiotics or homeopathic remedies.
Antioxidant supplements, and other nutrients speed recovery.
In the later stages however, intravenous therapy with
more powerful antibiotics is sometimes necessary (though
early homeopathic treatment can prevent this). This
is especially true when Lyme disease involves the central
nervous system.
Post-Lyme disease
syndrome may develop after the organism has been succesfully
eradicated but the underlying immune imbalance still
exists. This is an inflammatory condition which mimics
the actual disease. A regimen of vitamins, minerals,
and supplements including natural antiinflammatories
can be used to treat this condition. Homeopathic
treatment of the underlying disease which allowed the
Lyme organism to overwhelm the immune system in the
first place is the treatment of choice.
For a lengthier,
illustrated discussion of Lyme disease (and its' conventional
treatment), see the U.S. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention public information guide, Lyme
Disease . Use your browser's BACK BUTTON
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Please note:
The information provided here is meant to supplement
that provided by your veterinarian. Nothing can replace
a complete history and physical examination performed
by your veterinarian. - Dr. Jeff
I greatly value your feedback. Please let me know what
you think of this site and what you would like to see
on it. drjeff@homevet.com
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