Lyme Disease in Dogs in New Jersey

During the summer months, dogs may contract Lyme disease from ticks in grassy and wooded areas.

Dogs are 50 to 100 times more likely than humans to be infected with Lyme disease, especially during the summer months in New Jersey when animals spend more time outdoors.

Recorded Cases

Ranked third in the nation for recorded Lyme disease cases from 2000 to 2010, New Jersey has a proven track record of dogs and humans contracting the disease. According to IDEXX Reference Laboratory, 11,181 cases of Lyme disease were reported in dogs in New Jersey from 2001 to 2009. While dogs can contract Lyme disease from ticks almost anywhere and at any time, most cases occur from May through July when ticks are most active.

Transmission

The disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria, which is transmitted by the Blacklegged Tick, also known as the deer tick. But only 20 to 50 percent of Blacklegged Ticks can actually transmit the disease.

Misconceptions

The American Dog Tick is often confused for the Blacklegged Tick, but this larger and more common tick in the U.S. is actually a carrier of Rocky Mountain spotted fever and not Lyme disease.

Symptoms

Dogs infected by Lyme disease may lose their appetite, appear depressed, experience lameness and have inflamed joints. If untreated, Lyme disease could lead to kidney failure.

Removal

The tick should be removed with tweezers within 24 hours to reduce the likelihood of contracting the disease. Save the tick so it can be tested for Lyme disease by your veterinarian.

References

• Dogs and Ticks
• Lyme Disease Association, Inc.
• US Regional Map of where tick-borne diseases are found
• “Common Tick Species in New Jersey” Center for Disease Control and Prevention
• University of Maryland “Lyme Disease in Animals” Fact Sheet