Today on Texas Vet News I am going to talk about Lyme disease and some new information about the spread of this disease. Lyme disease is most commonly found in the northeast United States but cases have been found in all 50 states. People can be infected humans as well as horses, dogs, and cats. The new information is that birds like robins, starlings, and many seabirds can carry the bacterium that causes the disease in their blood. Also, these birds can carry ticks into new areas. Veterinary News Network indicates that wild mice are the primary reservoir for maintaining the disease and juvenile ticks pick up the disease from mice. Adult ticks are commonly found on deer and can also carry ticks into new areas. Although it is believed only 1% of tick bites result in Lyme disease, the numbers of cases seem to still be rising.

If your pet has been exposed to ticks, a blood test can tell if he has been bitten by the parasite. However, this test will only show exposure and not disease, so for the disease to be diagnosed you should see clinical signs in addition to a positive blood test. The most common clinical signs in pets include arthritis, kidney disease, and even heart-related issues. The key to protecting your pets from Lyme disease is to protect them from ticks. Always be careful that you do not use dog products on cats as this can cause a severe toxicity.