Lyme Disease Is Getting Dangerous

Lyme disease has been affecting not just the pets but humans as well and the vicious ailment is driving more and more people crazy of its ambiguity. Only when they go to the doctor for a check-up do they realize it’s a tick infection. Every year more than 3000 people are diagnosed with Lyme Disease and most of the incidents reported are at the rash stage. Sometimes it's risky because most people don’t even realize they had been bitten by a tick, considering the initial symptoms as just a mild infection of some sort.

Ticks could be super dangerous to pets as well as humans because they carry a host of diseases and are so tiny before they get engorged with blood that they may literally appear like a speck and nothing more than that. Moreover, as we know Lyme disease is transmitted by ticks, it’s very important to protect ourselves and our pets from these blood-sucking parasites.

What Is Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease is an infection caused by a bacterium called Borrelia Burgdorferi when a black-legged tick bites a human or an animal. In humans, it is usually caused by the Nymph stage of the tick lifecycle. The tick attaches itself to the host by digging its head and first two legs inside the skin, fixing them firmly to suck blood. In turn, they also transmit the bacterium inside the body within a period of 24-48 hours. In a couple of days, the host develops symptoms like – fever, headache, fatigue and skin rashes.

When this disease is left untreated, the bacterium spreads the infection to the heart, nervous system and joints.

Can You Die From Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease is treatable once it is diagnosed. However, it is rare but possible at times that the adverse effects caused by the infection in the body like respiratory failure or heart failure may result in the death of the patient. This is the reason Lyme Disease needs to be taken seriously and must be diagnosed early. Not to mention, the serious joint issues this infection causes.

When Are People Likely To Contract Lyme Disease?

A CDC study in 2011 revealed that Lyme disease incidences are minimal in humans when the seroprevalence in canines is less than 1.5 percent. On the contrary, if the seroprevalence is more than 4-5 percent in dogs, the chances of disease contraction by their owners and other people in the area likely increases by 100 fold. So now you know, the places that have more canine population infected with Lyme disease also have a large number of humans infected as well.

How To Protect Yourself And Your Dog From Lyme Disease

• Pull up your socks high, cover up your arms when walking in the woods or area with long grasses to avoid yourself being bit by the tick.
• Regularly watch your body for ticks after coming back from outdoors.
• If you find a tick, remove it by winding a loop of thread around the tick and pull it gently. You can use tweezers to remove them from your pet’s body or use the loop.
• Do not squish or try to remove the tick with your fingers.
• Year-round tick control should be practiced in areas that have heavy tick population.
• Keep a watch on your dog so he doesn’t roam in the woods.
• Use insect repellents to treat your household.
• Pay regular visits to your vet for complete body check-up of your dog.

Lyme disease has become quite problematic, taking even humans in the loop. Therefore, whether or not your dog has tick infestation, make sure you do everything to protect him and yourself from bringing the infestation home.