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Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever The symptoms of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever usually occur 3-12 days after tick contact and include fever, headache and aching muscles. A rash develops on the wrists and ankles, then spreads to involve the rest of the body. Diagnosis is usually based on clinical signs and a history of tick exposure. A blood test is available that looks for antibodies against Rickettsia rickettsii, but it is not a totally definitive test.
Lyme Disease The first symptom of Lyme disease is a red, "bulls-eye" rash around the bite location. However, it may not show up right away. In fact, it can take up to a month for the rash to appear. The rash is often accompanied by flu-like symptoms of fever, body aches, etc. You should seek medical attention right away. If the infection goes untreated, about half of the patients develop recurrent attacks of painful and swollen joints. Ten to twenty percent of these patients will go on to develop chronic arthritis. More severe symptoms can develop. Diagnosis can be difficult and is often based solely on the history of a tick bite and the presence of the telltale rash. However, in as many as 25% of Lyme disease cases, the rash never develops. There are blood tests that detect the presence of antibodies against Borellia burgdorferi but aren't totally definitive. New diagnostic tests are being developed.
Ehrlichiosis Symptoms are flu-like and include fever, headache, and body aches. There is generally no rash associated with Ehrlichiosis. As with the other diseases we've discussed, diagnosis is mostly based on symptoms and tick exposure history. A blood test that checks for antibodies against Ehrlichia is generally used only for confirmation.
What you can do: It is vital that people and pets exposed to tick infested areas are checked for attached ticks and the ticks removed immediately. Research has shown that the tick needs to be attached for 24-48 hours in order to transmit the Lyme disease bacterium and as little as 6 hours for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. (It currently has not been decided how long a tick must be attached to transmit Ehrlichiosis.) The tick should be pulled out gently using a pair of blunt tweezers or a "tick-puller". Be very careful not to squeeze the tick's body or break off the head. Contact with the tick's body fluids can greatly increase the risk of infection with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. The area should then be disinfected and an antibiotic cream or ointment applied. Ask our office staff about Frontline Plus for great tick protection for your pets. Please see the article about ticks in our April newsletter for more information.
West Nile Virus Clinical signs of the virus in people are usually relatively mild, with flu-like symptoms sometimes along with a skin rash, and swollen lymph nodes. More severe infections are rare. Clinical signs of the virus in horses are generally hindquarter weakness. In extreme cases, paralysis may follow. During the 1999 outbreak, approximately 40% of horses infected with West Nile Virus died. Clinical signs in other animals have been difficult to track since infected wild birds have been found dead and, although other species may become infected, many do not develop any clinical signs. The risk of becoming infected with the virus is low. As of this writing, research has shown that in areas where mosquitoes carry the virus, less than 1% are actually infected, and less than 1% of humans bitten and infected by those mosquitoes become severely ill. Prevention of the West Nile Virus can best be achieved by reducing exposure to the mosquito. Check the integrity of screens around your home. Eliminate stagnant water from any receptacles in which mosquitoes might breed. Protect yourself, your family, your pets, and your horses through the use of mosquito repellants, and avoid outdoor activities at dusk and dawn, the time when mosquitoes are most active. Prevalence in our area as of this writing is very low having been found in only 1 crow in Franklin County. In 2001, however, it was found in 28 crows, 6 blue jays and 1 Culex mosquito in Franklin Co., 2 crows and 1 blue jay in Delaware Co. and only 1 blue jay in Union Co. Public health agencies say the wild bird population will be our sentinel for detection of the virus and are asking the public to report dead crows and blue jays, since these two birds seem to be the most sensitive to the virus. While doing research on West Nile Virus for this month's newsletter, I came across an article about mosquitoes in the Washington Post written by Susan Okie. Because it was so well written and so informative, I'd like to quote from that article:
Meet Buddy Klein
Dr. Tom is currently enrolled with Buddy in clicker training classes.
New product The new test is a rapid immunoassay that detects low levels of albumin in canine urine. It is run on a small quantity of fresh urine and is quick and sensitive. Currently we are recommending this test on dogs over 3 years of age or on any dog at high risk of renal disease based on breed predisposition such as the Wheaton Terrier and Lhasa Apso. Be sure to ask the doctors about this new test at your dog's next examination.
Good Luck Caroline To get more information on the diseases discussed in this newsletter please visit one of these websites:
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Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever was first recognized in 1896 in the Snake River Valley in Idaho. It was originally called "black measles" because of the characteristic rash. The name is misleading because it has been found throughout the continental United States. It is a bacterial disease called Rickettsia rickettsii and is carried primarily by the American Dog Tick (Dermacentor variabilis), the most common tick in Ohio. 
Lyme disease was first recognized in 1975 in Lyme, Connecticut, where a large number of children were being diagnosed with juvenile arthritis. It is a bacterial disease called Borellia burgdorferi and is carried by the Black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis); formerly known as the Deer Tick (Ixodes dammini), and still commonly called the deer tick. The nymphal stage, most responsible for disease transmission, is about the size of a flat pinhead or the size of a sesame seed. These ticks are rare in Ohio, and the Lyme disease organism has not been proven to be established in the deer tick population in this state. However, the fact that the tick has been found in Ohio means there is a risk of contracting Lyme disease here. Most of Ohio's reported cases have actually been acquired out of state.
Ehrlichiosis was first diagnosed in 1986. The bacteria known as Ehrlichia has many subspecies and can infect many animals including humans, dogs, deer, and horses. The tick responsible for disease transmission in Ohio is the Lone Star tick (which is currently found in Lawrence and Jackson counties and may be present in Gallia and Adams counties, all in Southeastern Ohio) and the black-legged (deer) tick (which is rare in Ohio currently).
The Culex pipiens mosquito (the common house mosquito) is the prime carrier, but it has been found in 11 species of mosquitoes. West Nile Virus was first reported in the United States in 1999 but was first identified in 1937 in Uganda in Africa. It is most commonly found in wild birds but can also affect humans, horses, dogs, cats, bats, chipmunks, skunks, squirrels, domestic rabbits, and domestic birds. 
Please welcome the newest addition to Drs. Tom and Sue's "family" - Buddy, the Boston Terrier! He follows a long line of succession in Dr. Sue's pet family. Some of you may remember the previous Buddy (the 3rd) that Dr. Tom and Sue owned while starting their practice. The latest Buddy was bred by a private breeder near Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Dr. Tom notes, "We liked the fact that the breeder raised a small number of Bostons at a time, but had a long history developing the breed. She had children that handled the puppies a lot before they went out into homes." Buddy was brought home at 9 ˝ weeks of age in January 2002. It had been 14 years since Drs. Tom and Sue had a puppy in the household and, just like most people, needed to make some adjustments in their household and schedules. Buddy comes to the hospital every day with Dr. Tom and generally sleeps until noontime! 
Even though he is the veterinarians' dog, Buddy is not above having some health and behavioral concerns. Due to the sporadic "urping" of his AM meal, he has been placed on a sensitive stomach prescription diet. 
Drs. Tom and Sue are hoping he will soon outgrow this condition! Buddy was also an "early bloomer" and began lifting his leg on the family room furniture at 4 months of age! Since his immediate neutering after that behavior developed, he has also been temporarily restricted from those areas of the house. He is only allowed access there by special invitation and is kept on a leash to supervise him. 
Buddy hopes to have him effectively trained at the end of the 6-week course! His favorite hobby is playing with a number of the staff's pets, including a range in size from an 8lb Pomeranian mix to a 104lb Irish Wolfhound. He is not intimidated by size, as is true to his breed! 
We welcome you to stop in and meet Buddy! And for more information about Boston Terriers, please visit: