Province confirms a case of Lyme Disease in a dog

The Newfoundland and Labrador Veterinary Medical Association and the Department of Natural Resources are encouraging pet owners to regularly examine their animals for ticks after confirmation of a recent case of Lyme Disease in a dog on the west coast of the province.

The dog�s owners brought the animal to the veterinary clinic in June when it began showing signs of illness. A tick removed from the dog was sent to the department�s Animal Health Laboratories where it was subsequently identified as a deer tick (Ixodes scapularis). Further testing at the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg confirmed that the tick was carrying the bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi) responsible for this disease. The dog is recovering well under antibiotic treatment.

�This disease is being seen increasingly in the Maritime Provinces and might one day establish itself here,� said Dr. Tim Davis, president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Veterinary Medical Association. �We encourage all pet owners to examine their animals regularly, particularly if they have been walking through areas where there is brush, long grass or along the edges of wooded areas. If they see a tick, it should be carefully removed with tweezers and taken to a veterinary clinic for identification.�

The symptoms of Lyme disease in dogs include lameness, loss of appetite, fever and loss of energy. Affected animals usually respond well to treatment.

This is the second case of this disease confirmed in a dog in this province. The first case, from 2004, was also found on the west coast. In both cases the dogs had picked up the disease locally.

Research carried out with Memorial University has shown that though the deer tick can be found on occasion in this province, there are no known permanent populations. It is assumed that migratory birds, such as the robin, bring these ticks northwards with them during migration. Of those ticks collected in this province, approximately 11 per cent were shown to be carrying the bacteria.

For further information on ticks and Lyme Disease please visit our web site at: www.gov.nl.ca/agric/animal_diseases/public_safety/ or contact:
Dr. Hugh Whitney, provincial veterinarian, (709) 729-6879
Dr. Tim Davis, president, Newfoundland and Labrador Veterinary Medical Association, (709) 729-6886

Media contact: Tracy Barron, Communications, (709) 729-5282, 690-1703

2006 07 20                                   3:30 p.m.