Lyme Disease, how to treat it, what to look for and how to avoid it, doctors say

WSBTV.com News Staff
·2 min read

Summer is around the corner, meaning more outdoor activities and hotter temperatures.

Channel 2 meteorologist Eboni Deon is warning neighbors of the dangers Lyme Disease can pose to neighbors and their pets.

Lyme disease is often associated with tick bites in humans but pets can be at risk too.

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According to Dr. Tara Zak, Hamilton Plaza Animal Hospital veterinarian, the disease has multiple symptoms.

“It’s an organism that can get into your skin and cause skin rash and a variety of different clinical signs such as fever, joint pain, -- multiple joints can be involved,” she said. “It’s a feeling of fatigue and tired all of the time.”

Dogs will experience either limping or just not feeling good, Zak said.

Deon spoke with neighbor Rob Lowry as he was taking his dog Jaidee in for a visit with the vet and while he’s not concerned with ticks at the moment, he said he knows the importance of protection.

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“I’m hoping the flee and tick medicine we’re using for him carries over,” Lowry said. “We live on two acres and it’s fairly wooded so it’s a big thing for us.”

So how can you prevent your pet from ticks?

Bluepearl veterinarian Dr. Nick Berryessa suggests pet owners “walk them on trails, not off trails and watch for areas where ticks can hide and drop off onto the dog.”

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If you have been hiking, camping, or spending time near a lake with your dog, doctors encourage you to take a good look at their fur and check for ticks in areas between the toes or around the tail, ears and around the eyes.

Berryessa says Lyme disease can develop in just one to two days after the bite so it is important to remove ticks the moment you find them.