Animal Hospital
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CONGRATULATIONS JENNIFER!! Please join us in welcoming Jennifer Thren into her new role as Hospital Manager! Many of you have gotten to know Jen over the past 12 years as the Technical Supervisor here at VCA Delmarva Animal Hospital. She has seen this hospital and the pets we care for through many difficult and rewarding times over the years and the time has come for her to explore the next level. While her role may be changing, her commitment to ensuring that each pet that comes through our door receives the best possible care and that each client receives the best possible customer service will remain unwavering. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - WHERE DOES LYME DISEASE COME FROM?? Certain tick species carry and transmit the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. The culprits in North America are the black-legged or deer tick (Ioxdes scapularis) and the western black-legged tick (I. Pacificus). Both are smaller than the other ticks found on pets in the United States. To get a blood meal, a tick climbs onto low-growing vegetation and uses it’s forelegs to sense a host animal and grab onto it. If it is an infected host, such as a white-footed mouse, the tick ingests the bacteria in a blood meal and becomes an infective carrier without getting sick itself. The tick can retain the infection throughout its life cycle and give it to subsequent hosts, such as you or your dog. Usually, an infective tick must be attached 48 hours before transmission occurs. CLINCAL SIGNS, DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT Lyme disease affects many animals differently, and many display no clinical signs at all. In dogs, many cases start with limping, lymph node swelling and fever. Other signs include loss of appetite, painful joints and lethargy. Dogs don’t show signs for two to five months post-infection. Antibiotics help but don’t stop the disease. THE THREAT TO HUMANS According to the CDC, about 20,000 human cases of Lyme disease are reported in the United States annually. Typically, the first symptom is an expanding circular rash at the site of a tick bite three to 30 days after the bite. Patients also experience fatigue, chills, fever, headache, muscle aches, joint aches and swollen lymph nodes. Most cases of human Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics, if started early. There is no evidence that dogs can spread the disease directly to their owners. However, they can bring infected ticks into the home or yard. KNOW YOUR RISK FACTORS All dogs are at risk of contracting Lyme disease. If you answer “yes” to any of the following questions, your dog is at an increased risk. Ask you veterinarian about vaccination, tick control and testing. •Does your dog spend time in wooded areas or low-growing grassland? •Is your dog outdoors during peak tick season? •Does your dog live in or visit Lyme-endemic areas of the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic or Upper Midwest? For more information, talk to your veterinarian and visit www.LymePrevention.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ASK US FOR A TOUR AND WE’LL BE GLAD TO SHOW YOU OUR BOARDING FACILITY AT ANYTIME! AND, ASK US HOW YOU CAN RECEIVE A FREE DOSE OF FLEA MEDICATION! 
Our little Pet Of The Month had rough start but is doing just fine now! King came to our office one morning in a basket because his leg was injured. After some TLC, a visit to the Dr. and some motherly pampering at home, he’s back to running around and ready for summer. |
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