2013 Lyme Disease Forecast

The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) predicts the threat of Lyme Disease for dogs will be extremely high this year. See map of northeast published by CAPC. This recent notification was just sent to the veterinary community (June 18, 2013), although other organizations have notified us previously. This prediction is based on many factor which include: increase in reported cases of Lyme Disease in humans and dogs, outside temperature, precipitation, humidity, population density, deer population, and forest cover, and evidence that some of the previously used popular topical medication for tick prevention have lost their effectiveness. There is strong evidence that ticks and even fleas have the capability of developing resistance to products that are used repetitively. That is why the CDC recommend we alternate products or use newer products on the market available to veterinar ians. The topical products plus vaccination is the best way to protect your dog. Prevention is the best medicine. The newer vaccines that protect your dog against Lyme disease have proven to be safe and effective. Don’t forget, dogs can bring ticks into the house which can get on you. Slight lameness is one of the earliest signs we see in dogs with Lyme disease. It can progress to lethargy and loss of appetite and even further progress to swollen joints, pain and even kidney disease. The CAPC recommends, along with the Center for Communicable Diseases (CDC) that all dogs and cats get year-round parasite-control medications. This requires topical and oral 1 x each month preventative medications readily available from your veterinarian.

About these ads

CAPC 2012 Forecast for Lyme Disease

Parasite Forecasts

Ticks Thrive Through Winter, Lyme Disease Risk Rises

Winter lulls many people into a false sense of security when it comes to ticks and the risk of contracting diseases they carry, because it’s commonly held that these blood-sucking parasites cannot survive in colder temperatures.

The reality is that ticks transmit disease 12 months of the year, in every U.S. state, and the adult tick that transmits Lyme disease is most active from October through March. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the incidence of Lyme disease, which affects tens of thousands of pets and humans every year, is growing. That’s not surprising when you consider that the areas of high risk are expanding.

To put those risks into perspective, the CAPC has issued the 2012 Fall Parasite Forecast for Lyme disease. Developed through an ongoing partnership between our experts – the nation’s foremost parasitologists, and renowned statisticians from Clemson University, the CAPC Parasite Forecasts serve as reminders for pet owners to work with their veterinarians to make sure their pets are protected from ticks every month of the year.

The CAPC 2012 Fall Lyme Disease Forecast calls for increased risk in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region, the upper Midwest, the Southeastern United States and all along the West Coast. The disease incidence is steadily spreading southward, even into some areas traditionally free or with low incidence of Lyme disease such as the Midwest and parts of the Southeast. The Northeast continues as the most Lyme endemic region of the country. Check out our Forecast map to see historical prevalence and predicted hotspots for Lyme disease over the next year.

While pet owners cannot “catch” Lyme disease from animals, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that dogs serve as sentinels for the infection. The CDC analyzed various data, including information from the CAPC’s parasite prevalence maps, and concluded that people who live in areas with a higher-than-average number of dogs with Lyme disease are at greater risk of contracting it. Additionally, untreated pets can bring infected ticks into your home or yard, underscoring the importance of year-round use of tick control pet products.

Each year, millions of pets are infected by parasitic diseases, yet only about half of the 78 million pet dogs in the United States are protected. That means too many of our beloved pets unnecessarily suffer and sometimes die from preventable conditions. Pet owners can and should thwart parasitic diseases with year-round, easy-to-administer medication. As a pet owner myself, I rank parasite control as critical to my dog’s health as vaccinations and regular checkups.

No one is more important to your dog’s well-being than your veterinarian, the local expert on parasitic conditions. Make sure to consult veterinary doctors about which parasite preventives are best for your pet and your family’s lifestyle.

To find out more about how many pets in your neighborhood are affected by parasitic diseases, consult the CAPC’s prevalence maps. You can find out how high the infection risks are for numerous conditions in your county or state and use that information as a jumping-off point for discussions with your veterinarian.

Winter is no substitute for parasite prevention. No matter where you live or what season it is, dogs deserve to be protected from threats that ticks and other creepy crawlers pose.

Written by Dr. Chris Carpenter