Fight the Spread of Canine Lyme Disease

Today’s Sponsored Feature is part of your subscription to the daily AVMA SmartBrief. This feature, produced by SmartBrief and a select group of sponsors, highlights issues, products and services of interest to veterinarians and all those interested in animal health. It also allows for continued free delivery of AVMA SmartBrief. Thank you for your interest. - The AVMA SmartBrief Team SPONSORED FEATURE FEATURED ARTICLE FEATURED PRODUCT How to Protect Despite New Geographic Growth Canine Lyme disease is no longer just a threat to dogs in the Northeast or North-Central U.S. (often called “endemic areas”). Lyme disease is growing fast — infected dogs have been found in all 48 contiguous states.1 In many states, infection is not likely, but dogs living or traveling in the endemic areas and the growing expansion areas are at risk. Growing geographic risks Lyme disease is one of the fastest-growing diseases in the U.S. A dog’s risk level depends on where he lives, his overall health and his lifestyle, such as whether he travels a lot or goes hunting. Dogs are at risk — regardless of breed When any dog comes in close contact with infected ticks — usually in wildlife areas where mice and deer live — the risk of exposure to Lyme disease is present. Plus, nearly 75% of unvaccinated dogs in endemic areas will eventually test positive.2 Smart — and easy — protection techniques Canine Lyme disease is largely preventable with vaccination, tick control products and frequent tick checks. Get details now. Vaccination Helps Dogs Stay Free of Lyme Disease Duramune Lyme® vaccine is proven 92% effective in preventing Lyme disease3: – The vaccine induces antibodies to a broad array of Borrelia burgdorferi Osps4 — not just one or two – It targets the Borrelia burgdorferi organism despite its shifting Osp expression – Duramune Lyme provides a cascade of continuous, uninterrupted protection against Lyme disease5 About Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. The Boehringer Ingelheim group is one of the world’s 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, it operates globally with 145 affiliates and more than 44,000 employees. Since it was founded in 1885, the family-owned company has been committed to researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing novel medications of high therapeutic value for human and veterinary medicine. As a central element of its culture, Boehringer Ingelheim pledges to act socially responsible. Involvement in social projects, caring for employees and their families, and providing equal opportunities for all employees form the foundation of the global operations. Mutual cooperation and respect, as well as environmental protection and sustainability, are intrinsic factors in all of Boehringer Ingelheim’s endeavors. In 2011, Boehringer Ingelheim achieved net sales of about $ 17.1 billion. Research and development expenditure in the business area of prescription medicines corresponds to 23.5% of its net sales. Learn more at: http://us.boehringer-ingelheim.com and http://twitter.com/boehringerus. RESOURCE CENTER Get details on vaccination DuramuneLyme.com Explore canine Lyme disease’s growing threat LymeInfo.com Learn about other parasitic threats to dogs capcvet.org FYI Footnotes: 1 Companion Animal Parasite Council, Parasite Prevalence Maps, CAPCvet.org., 2013 2 Richard Ford, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM. Tracking the development of tick-borne diseases, DVM in Focus, June 2002. 3 Levy S. Use of a C6 ELISA test to evaluate the efficacy of a whole-cell bacterin for the prevention of naturally transmitted canine Borrelia burgdorferi infection. Vet Ther. 2002;3(4):420-424. 4 Levy SA, et al. Confirmation of Presence of Borrelia burgdorferi Outer Surface Protein C Antigen and Production of Antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi Outer Surface Protein C in Dogs Vaccinated with a Whole-cell Borrelia burgdorferi Bacterin. Intern J Appl Res Vet Med 2010;Vol 8, No. 3, 123-128. 5 With annual vaccination. Legal: © 2013 Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. Duramune and Duramune Lyme are registered trademarks of Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. All rights reserved. SMARTBRIEF ARCHIVES: RELATED NEWS AVMA Podcast: Lyme disease Nearly 40 years ago, an unusual cluster of arthritis cases along the Connecticut River, primarily in children, led to the discovery of Lyme disease as a human illness in the U.S. But it’s not just humans who are susceptible to Lyme disease. Clinical signs of Lyme have been recognized in dogs, horses and cattle. So what exactly is Lyme disease, how is it spread, and how can we prevent it … in people and animals? In the latest AVMA Animal Tracks podcast, Dr. Michael Stone, a clinical assistant professor at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, discusses Lyme disease. Listen to the podcast. Simple steps to protect pets from disease A number of internal and external parasites threaten pets’ health, including intestinal parasites, heartworms, fleas and ticks, and more, writes veterinarian Rebekah Frost, but regular veterinary care and preventive treatments can help protect animals. Ticks are of concern for a variety of reasons including the fact that they may infect animals with Lyme disease, which can cause acute and chronic disease in pets. However, veterinarians can help protect animals with tick control and vaccination against Lyme disease. The Observer (Dunkirk, N.Y.) (3/10) Lyme disease becomes more prevalent in northern U.S. Lyme disease incidence rose about 80% in the U.S. from 1992 to 2007, with higher rates in the North, according to a report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Geographic changes in prevalence are consistent with the effects of climate change, researchers said. Medscape (free registration) (4/17), MyHealthNewsDaily.com (4/17) 16% of Vt. dogs have been exposed to Lyme Data indicating 16% of Vermont’s dogs have been exposed to Lyme disease is a sign the disease has been underreported in humans, according to physician Richard Horowitz, who says he has treated 12,000 human Lyme disease patients in New York’s Hudson Valley area. “This is an epidemic and the seriousness is not being recognized,” he said. Patients want to pass a law ensuring they will have access to the long courses of antibiotics needed to treat the disease. Vermont Public Radio (4/3) What is this? A Sponsored Feature is an advertorial that includes valuable content provided by the sponsor and editorial materials from SmartBrief’s archives. This Sponsored Feature does not represent an endorsement by the AVMA or SmartBrief, Inc. of the products and services offered. If you unsubscribe from this Sponsored Feature, you will not be unsubscribing from all other editions of the Animal Health SmartBrief. Subscriber Tools: Sign up for Animal Health SmartBrief | Send Feedback | Email this brief | Unsubscribe from Animal Health SmartBrief Sponsored Features Advertising with SmartBrief: Healthcare Sales and Marketing Associate Rebecca Adelson 202-618-5665 Mailing Address: SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004 © 1999-2013 SmartBrief, Inc.®  Legal Information.

New report on the spread of canine Lyme disease

Today’s Sponsored Feature is part of your subscription to the daily AVMA SmartBrief. This feature, produced by SmartBrief and a select group of sponsors, highlights issues, products and services of interest to veterinarians and all those interested in animal health. It also allows for continued free delivery of AVMA SmartBrief. Thank you for your interest. - The AVMA SmartBrief Team SPONSORED FEATURE FEATURED ARTICLE FEATURED PRODUCT Experts Warn Canine Lyme Disease Is Spreading A new report from the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) — a nonprofit organization of veterinary parasitologists and scientists — warns “the threat of Lyme disease for dogs will be extremely high this year.” The increasing risk includes areas where the disease is already common, such as the Northeast and North-Central U.S., as well as the states below, where Lyme disease is now expanding: Indiana Illinois Michigan Ohio Kentucky West Virginia Virginia North Carolina How can you help prepare your clinic? Read CAPC’s full article View the Lyme disease risk-level map on LymeInfo.com. The map is just one of many helpful tools for educating clients and colleagues — share it with yours today. Innovative Vaccine, Impressive Credentials Duramune Lyme® vaccine: Features innovative PureFilâ„¢ Technology Is used by veterinarian/researcher Dr. SA Levy, who says: “With another brand of vaccine, I saw a 4% incident rate that led to owner concerns — swelling, pain, fever, lethargy, etc. I switched to Duramune Lyme because of its efficacy and safety. Now I have seen only two mild local swelling incidents that did not generate office visits.” Learn more About Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. The Boehringer Ingelheim group is one of the world’s 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, it operates globally with 145 affiliates and more than 44,000 employees. Since it was founded in 1885, the family-owned company has been committed to researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing novel medications of high therapeutic value for human and veterinary medicine. As a central element of its culture, Boehringer Ingelheim pledges to act socially responsible. Involvement in social projects, caring for employees and their families, and providing equal opportunities for all employees form the foundation of the global operations. Mutual cooperation and respect, as well as environmental protection and sustainability, are intrinsic factors in all of Boehringer Ingelheim’s endeavors. In 2011, Boehringer Ingelheim achieved net sales of about $ 17.1 billion. Research and development expenditure in the business area of prescription medicines corresponds to 23.5% of its net sales. Learn more at: http://us.boehringer-ingelheim.com and http://twitter.com/boehringerus. RESOURCE CENTER Steps to Building Your Prevention Plan Learn about ticks, checking for them and more LymeInfo.com Learn from parasitic disease experts CAPCvet.org Make vaccination part of your prevention plan DuramuneLyme.com FYI Legal: © 2013 Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. Duramune and Duramune Lyme are registered trademarks of Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. All rights reserved. SMARTBRIEF NEWS ARCHIVE: RELATED ARTICLES Prevention is key to protecting dogs from Lyme disease Lyme disease prevention is best done with tick-prevention products and a canine vaccine, but if an engorged tick becomes embedded in a dog’s skin, it’s important to properly and completely remove the tick. Lyme disease is a zoonotic illness, causing symptoms in dogs such as swollen joints, lameness and fever. If left untreated, it can progress to fatal kidney failure. Humans usually exhibit symptoms similar to influenza when infected with Lyme disease. Veterinarian Hisham Ibrahim has diagnosed 65 canine cases of Lyme disease this season. KDKA-TV (Pittsburgh) (4/22) Timely removal of ticks can prevent Lyme disease Although dogs can be protected from Lyme disease, humans aren’t so lucky. Lyme disease is a zoonotic infection responsible for 24,364 human cases in 2011. The illness is caused by a spirochete bacteria transmitted by the tick Ixodes scapularis. Using proper technique to remove a tick within 24 hours will decrease the chances of contracting Lyme disease. The spirochete reproduces within the tick gastrointestinal tract and isn’t available for transmission until 36 to 48 hours after the tick begins feeding. The Exponent Telegram (Clarksburg, W.Va.) (6/1) Mich. residents are alerted to Lyme disease risk among pets Michigan veterinarian Jim Connell’s practice diagnosed Lyme disease in eight out of 800 tested dogs in his practice last year, and he notes an AVMA alert warned clinicians the disease is spreading. The best prevention for dogs includes a vaccine and tick-bite prevention. MLive.com (Michigan) (free registration) (5/31) City residents are at risk for Lyme disease, too Even city dwellers can be exposed to Lyme disease through the bite of a deer tick carrying the bacteria because the ticks may hitch a ride to the city on wildlife and dogs, writes physician Leo Galland. Even if they don’t know of any tick exposure, urban residents who experience otherwise unexplained symptoms such as fatigue, muscle pain, and confusion, or those diagnosed with an autoimmune or degenerative neurological disease should discuss being tested for Lyme disease with their physician, Galland says. The Huffington Post/The Blog (5/21) Revealing Lyme disease in Ala. Jacksonville State University scientists found Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent behind Lyme disease, in seven Alabama dogs, marking the first time the bacteria has been identified in dogs in the state. The first case of Lyme disease in an Alabama resident was diagnosed in 1985, but it is rare and some still doubt its presence in the state. Lyme disease is less prevalent in the South mainly because ticks there tend to feed on animals that don’t carry the pathogen, such as lizards, according to the CDC. The Anniston Star (Ala.) (6/2) Bumper tick population is marching across Maine Maine’s mild winter fueled a tick population boom last year, and experts are warning that the Lyme disease threat will continue to grow. One Maine woman, Heidi McDonald, suffered with symptoms of Lyme disease in addition to two other insect-borne diseases, babesia and bartonella, for more than six months before her infections were diagnosed. McDonald noted that it may take two different tests to confirm a Lyme disease infection, the ELISA and the Western blot. Bangor Daily News (Maine) (free registration) (5/10) What is this? A Sponsored Feature is an advertorial that includes valuable content provided by the sponsor and editorial materials from SmartBrief’s archives. This Sponsored Feature does not represent an endorsement by the AVMA or SmartBrief, Inc. of the products and services offered. If you unsubscribe from this Sponsored Feature, you will not be unsubscribing from all other editions of the Animal Health SmartBrief. Subscriber Tools: Sign up for Animal Health SmartBrief | Send Feedback | Email this brief | Unsubscribe from Animal Health SmartBrief Sponsored Features Advertising with SmartBrief: Healthcare Sales and Marketing Associate Rebecca Adelson 202-618-5665 Mailing Address: SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004 © 1999-2013 SmartBrief, Inc.®  Legal Information.