Canine Lyme Borreliosis: An Overview

摘要

It's April, and thoughts of summer and spending time outdoors are coming out of hibernation. Soon, the annual warnings about Lyme disease will begin, and people will be on their guard against ticks. But 6 months from now, when the summer is over and adog presents to your clinic with fever, arthritis, and lameness, you should still ask yourself: Could it be Lyme disease? Lyme disease in dogs, or canine Lyme borreliosis, was first reported in 1984. Since then, it has been recognized as an important issue in veterinary medicine. Lyme disease was first recognized in humans in New England, and most human and canine cases of the disease in the United States are still concentrated in the Northeast and Midwest. However, canine Lyme borreliosis has been reported in all 48 contiguous states and in Canada, and the range of the ticks that transmit the disease-causing bacteria is increasing. Therefore, clinics in areas that were previously not considered endemic for Lyme may be encountering cases for the first time.