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Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is caused by a bacterial organism, Borrelia burgdorferi. It is carried by species of ticks and may have other insect carriers. It is more common in some areas of the country than in others. Your vet can tell you whether it is necessary to protect against this disease in your area. In most areas of the country, people and pets are at a moderate to high exposure level from April to November.

There is a fairly new Lyme bacterin on the market that Rhone-Merieux has been produced using recombinant gene techniques. This bacterin only uses a portion of the bacteria which the body defenses recognize and form antibodies against. Because the whole Lyme bacteria is not present, it appears that there will not be the problem of the vaccine causing symptoms of Lyme disease. This bacterin does have a validated one year duration of immunity. It is a new product and like all new products there is a period when everyone looks hard for previously unknown reactions but if "vaccination" against Lyme disease seems necessary in your area, it is recommended that you use this one.

What are the symptoms of Lyme disease?

Clinical signs include: arthritis, sudden severe pain and lameness, fever, lethargy, loss of appetite and depression.

None of this information is guaranteed to be accurate -- always consult your veterinarian prior to making a decision on your pet's health.