Keep safe from Lyme disease

The summer months can be a problem time for Lyme disease. Woody and grassy areas on your acreage provide an ideal habitat for ticks. Not only are you at risk, but so is your pet.

"Humans, dogs, cats, horses, and cows can all become infected with Lyme disease, but it is seen in humans and dogs most frequently," says Lynelle Johnson, University of Illinois veterinarian.

Pets can bring infected ticks into your home, yard, or acreage. "The best prevention is tick dips and sprays. Collars are available, but they only protect the head and neck area of the dog," says Johnson.

If you find a tick on your pet, grasp it with tweezers close to the animal's body and gently pull the tick straight out. Be careful not to crush the tick; you'll want to avoid contact with its body fluid. Don't try to burn the tick or put petroleum jelly on it.

Lyme disease in dogs

Signs of Lyme disease in dogs include fever, unwillingness to eat, sore joints, a stiff gait, or lameness that may shift from one leg to the other. The lameness may be sudden in onset. Keep in mind that many diseases exhibit these same signs.

If your dog presents these symptoms, see your veterinarian. Lyme disease responds within two days to treatment with antibiotics, but the animal should be kept on the medicine to ensure a complete cure.

A Lyme disease vaccine for dogs is available, but its effectiveness is controversial. Vaccination may result in a disease that mimics Lyme disease or causes more serious side effects.

Your geographic location can contribute to the likelihood of tick exposure. The black-legged tick (deer tick) transmits Lyme disease in northeastern and north-central U.S. In the Pacific coastal region, the disease is spread by the western black-legged tick.