Thanks so much for your recent article about Lyme disease in pets, which also pointed out the risk to the human population. I’ve been involved in Lyme disease education here in Northern California for nearly two years. I’ve met numerous dog owners who have told me that their dogs had been diagnosed with Lyme disease. In some cases, the dog did not survive the illness.
I’ve also met a number of vets who told me that they are seeing more and more Lyme disease in dogs. A local vet in Marin County told me that she randomly tested about 40 dogs when they were brought in for routine checkups and found 11 tested positive for ehrlichia equi, a tick-borne disease every bit as serious as Lyme.
Pet owners should be aware that ehrlichia and Lyme pose a threat to their pets as well as themselves. These and other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in California and can have tragic consequences if not treated in the first weeks after the tick bite. For example, most people are not aware that the most highly infected ticks are the size of a poppy seed, which most people will not even realize they have been bitten. It’s important for people to learn how to protect themselves and their pets.
And for those who are already sick, it’s important to know the symptoms of late-stage Lyme. Many people with tick-borne diseases are often misdiagnosed with chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, MS, ALS, and even psychiatric illnesses.
Marisa Battilana
Volunteer
Fundraising Director
California Lyme
Disease Association