Your Shih Tzu - Lyme History 101

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, says a skin rash similar to that of Lyme disease was recognized in Europe and was described in medical literature dating back to the turn of the century. Researchers believe that the disease may have spread from Europe to the United States in the early 1900s. But it wasn't until the influx of suburban developments into rural areas where deer ticks are common, coupled with the exploding deer population, that the disease became prevalent, according to NIAID.

Lyme disease was first recognized in the United States in 1975 when a cluster of rheumatoid arthritis cases occurred in the town of Lyme, Conn. The victims were mostly children, and the outbreak began with rashes, headaches, and joint pains during the summer months--the height of tick season.

By 1994, 48 states and the District of Columbia had reported Lyme disease cases, although most were concentrated mainly in the coastal Northeast, the Mid-Atlantic states, Wisconsin and Minnesota, and northern California. Three years later, the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, more cases of Lyme disease were reported than the combined total of cases reported for measles, mumps, rubella, whooping cough, cholera, tetanus, diphtheria, meningitis, and a host of other lesser known conditions. But CDC also estimates that thousands of Lyme disease cases go undiagnosed, untreated and unreported, due in large part to the disease's uncanny ability to mimic other illnesses.

Preventing Infection

Most cases of Lyme disease occur in the spring and summer months when ticks in the nymph stage are feeding and people generally spend more time outdoors, often with more skin exposed. To minimize the risk of contracting Lyme disease, the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the following precautions:

1. Avoid areas where deer ticks live, such as wooded, brushy, and grassy places (including lawns and gardens), especially from May through August.

2. Wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts when frequenting these areas to minimize skin exposure.

3. Tuck pant legs into socks or boots to form a barrier to tick attachment.

4. Tape the area where pants and socks meet so that ticks cannot crawl underneath.

5. Wear light-colored clothing so that ticks can be spotted more easily.

6. Spray insect repellent that contains DEET on exposed skin, other than the face, or treat clothing with permethrin, which kills ticks on contact. Use sparingly on children and avoid use on their faces and hands.

7. Walk in the center of trails to avoid overhanging grass or brush.

8. Shower after all outdoor activities. If a tick is still wandering, it may wash off.

9. Check periodically for ticks if you've been in and around brushy areas or working in a garden, looking particularly for what may appear to be a speck of dirt.

Protecting Fido and Kitty

Household pets can get Lyme disease, too. Typical symptoms in animals include joint soreness and lameness, fever, and loss of appetite.

Currently three Lyme disease vaccines are available for dogs--LymeVax, Galaxy Lyme, and Canine Recombinant Lyme. Larry Elskin with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Center for Biologics says that healthy dogs can be vaccinated when they are 9 weeks or older. (There is no vaccine available for cats.)

The American dog tick, which is more commonly found on pets, is much larger than the deer tick and, the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, is not known to carry Lyme disease. Checking pets for all types of ticks before letting them enter the home reduces the risk of infection for both pet and owner.