Ticks spread more than Lyme

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Public health officials have been trying to get the word out to Massachusetts residents to about several diseases that can be caused by ticks. Most people are aware that we are in an area where Lyme disease is prevalent, but the two other diseases may not be as familiar. One is called HGA, or human granulocytic anaplasmosis, and the other is called babesiosis.

While tick-borne illnesses occur all year round, they are more prevalent during the period from May through September, with June and July being the peak months.

In our area, the tick most closely associated with all three of these diseases is Ixodes scapularis, more commonly known as the black-legged tick, or deer tick. However, the brown dog tick has also been associated with some of these infectious agents, so any tick bite should raise concern, and symptoms such as listed below should be reported to your health care provider when you mention that you were bitten:

LYME DISEASE

How long before symptoms usually appear: three to 30 days.

Common symptoms: Rash (erythema migrans, or bullseye rash, but not always), flu-like symptoms (such as fever, headache, sore muscles and joints, aches, stiff neck), fatigue, swollen glands.

BABESIOSIS

How long before symptoms usually appear: one to eight weeks.

Common symptoms: Sometimes none, but can have fever, chills, headache, aches (muscles & joints), nausea, vomiting, dark urine, abdominal pain

ANAPLASMOSIS

How long before symptoms usually appear: seven to 14 days

Common symptoms: Fever, headache (that may not get better with over-the-counter medication), chills, muscle ache, fatigue. Less common: abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cough and joint aches.

Symptoms of Dog Flu « Pet Hotel Guru | Best Pet Friendly Hotels ...

Canine flu is transmitted from one dog to another through sneezing or coughing and is a virus which is spread through the air. Additionally, the flu can be dispersed through nose secretions, and it can be contracted from contact with infected surfaces.

Signs of dog flu normally become evident within two to five days of exposure to the virus. Canines that have the flu are contagious for up to ten days.

Symptoms of dog flu include:

* Repeated sneezing * Pneumonia (or some other type of bacterial infection)

Kennel cough and dog flu are different .

Many people confuse symptoms of kennel cough with dog flu, but they are two separate conditions. While kennel cough is caused by the presence of bacteria, dog flu occurs as the result of a virus. A racking, dry cough accompanies kennel cough, and dog flu is identified with a wet cough. Canines rarely die as a result of dog flu.

In general, most dogs recover from this illness quickly. There are a few who perish when the flu is associated with other infections. Older dogs and those which are in poor health are more likely to succumb to other infections which make them helpless.

If your dog is coughing that does not mean that he has dog flu. It could simply be a cold or a very mild flu that can be eliminated with some type of cough medicine. In order to avoid severe infections, any mild infection should be treated with an antibiotic as soon as it becomes evident.

Dogs with very high fevers need hospitalization and medical treatment, including intravenous fluids to prevent dehydration. The veterinarian can do tests to make the diagnosis of dog flu.

Do not take chances when you hang out in public with your dog. Never allow your pet to share eating or drinking dishes with other pets. If your dog displays any hint of a cough, keep him away from other animals until the cough disappears.

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