Lyme Disease Epidemic: Wondercide Shares Why Tick Awareness is More Crucial Than Ever

Wondercide unveils the truth about ticks during Lyme Disease Awareness Month.

AUSTIN, TEXAS, USA, May 23, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- How can a bug so small wreak so much havoc on both humans and animals? This goes beyond just mosquitoes or fruit flies. This month, the focus is on ticks. Small, dark, and mysterious, ticks lurk in the shadows and spy as innocent pups and their pet parents stroll in the outdoors. As a furry friend shuffles through the bushes, entranced by the smells of nature, a smaller, creepier crawler has chosen its next victim. As the tick latches on, the animal may not even realize they have been targeted, which is how some Lyme disease cases slip through the cracks. Ticks are the silent predators of the bug community, and tick-borne diseases are hitting epidemic proportions.

An infected tick bite can result in the harsh side effects of Lyme disease for humans or pets. Lyme is an often forgotten or overlooked sickness that many people may have heard about but don’t know the intricate details of. However, this disease is quite serious in the United States. Approximately 476,000 Americans are diagnosed with it each year, and it’s believed that only a fraction of Lyme cases are officially reported.

May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month and Wondercide is bringing attention to the silent perpetrator of the wilderness. It’s important for families to gain a proper understanding of the disease to better prevent its spread.

Which ticks are dangerous?

Lyme disease is caused by an infection from tick-transmitted borrelial pathogens. In the U.S., Borrelia burgdorferi is the main cause and it’s spread by the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) in the eastern half of the country and the western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus) along the Pacific coast. Blacklegged ticks are sometimes called deer ticks or bear ticks. These stealthy arachnids are often smaller than other species, which makes them even more difficult to spot under fur or on hidden parts of the body.

Blacklegged tick territory includes tall grass, shrubbery, and forests where they can find ample prey to latch onto. Unfortunately, Lyme-carrying ticks have the ability to survive year-round, even in below-freezing temperatures. However, prime tick season occurs between April and October. So, as the weather gets warmer and the outdoors becomes a second home, it’s best to stay as vigilant as possible.

Who can get Lyme disease?

Both humans and animals can be affected by Lyme disease. The disease is rarely found in cats and is more prevalent in dogs.

How long does a tick have to be attached to transmit Lyme?

Not all tick bites are infectious, but due to how late signs of the disease can show up, it’s tricky to tell if the tick that sank its teeth into a person or animal was armed with Lyme or not. Thankfully, according to experts, a tick must be attached for 36 to 48 hours or more before the Lyme disease bacterium can be transmitted.

Why are tick checks important?

Chances of getting Lyme disease are greatly reduced by removing an embedded tick within 24 hours so being vigilant with tick checks is key. Also, blacklegged ticks are small and their bite is often painless, so it’s easy for the tick to go undetected.

Perform a routine tick check after each outdoor excursion to ensure that these hidden pests don’t go unnoticed. Sometimes, one can be caught crawling over top of a dog’s thick fur or atop a kitten’s skin, but other times a tick will be hidden out of sight.

How to remove an embedded tick?

If a tick is already embedded into the skin, remove the tick with a pair of tweezers by grasping the tick’s body as close to the surface of the skin as possible and then pull the tick out by pulling up with steady, even pressure.

Should a tick be tested for Lyme disease?

Some experts suggest it’s important to send a tick in for testing to determine if it’s carrying the pathogen that causes Lyme disease. Others do not recommend testing. The same standards of quality control that clinical diagnostic labs meet are not required for labs that do tick testing. Also, a positive result from testing doesn’t automatically mean that a person or animal has been infected.

How to dispose of a tick?

Ticks are notoriously difficult to kill and crushing them is not recommended, nor is it often possible. Instead, flush the tick down the toilet.

What are the symptoms of Lyme disease?

Symptoms vary and can be mild or severe depending on the person or animal. Typically, early symptoms will appear within a month and sometimes as early as a few days after the bite.

The symptoms for animals:

Fever
Lethargy
Loss of appetite
Lameness or stiffness, which may shift from one leg to another
Swollen and painful joints
Swollen lymph nodes
Difficulty breathing

The symptoms for people:

Erythema migrans rash ( a small, red bump that expands over time)
Fever/chills
Fatigue
Headache
Joint Pain
Shooting pains
Heart palpitations
Dizziness
Arthritis (in cases of chronic Lyme)
Memory Loss (in cases of chronic Lyme)
Stiffness/facial paralysis

Many Lyme disease cases present with a bullseye rash on the skin. Not everyone gets the rash, but if one presents itself on the body, see a doctor immediately because it may be a sign of Lyme.

How is Lyme disease diagnosed?

A doctor will consider the symptoms and their physical findings, such as a rash. There are blood tests that can identify antibodies that are made in response to the infection, but are not 100% accurate or effective. Also, Lyme disease is very tricky to detect in some cases due to the vagueness and wide range of the symptoms combined with the fact that the patient may not realize they were bitten by a tick.

With proper treatment and early detection, the vast majority of Lyme disease patients will make a full recovery. However, if Lyme goes untreated, there is a 60 percent chance 5 that it could develop into Lyme arthritis and permanent joint damage is possible.

How is Lyme disease treated?

The treatment process for Lyme is similar for both animals and people. A doctor or vet will most likely prescribe an oral antibiotic, usually doxycycline. If detected early, a course of antibiotics is employed. For some, a duration of antibiotics may be necessary. After treatment, 10-20% of patients will experience ongoing symptoms, known as Post Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS). Research is ongoing to determine how to address chronic issues.

Wondercide is recognizing Lyme Disease Awareness Month this May. They hope the information and tips shared will help families stay protected from one of nature’s stealthiest predators, the tick.

About Wondercide
As seen on Shark Tank, Wondercide is an Austin-based company that has protected 3 million families from bugs since 2009, and the ticker is still running! The company provides plant-powered, lab-proven solutions for those looking for alternatives to conventional pest control products and services. Wondercide’s pest protection lineup is safe around the whole family when used as directed and meets the same effectiveness standards required for conventional products, harnessing the power of nature to do the job.

As a Green America Gold Certified business for high standards in social and environmental impact, the company is woman-founded and driven by love to help you Protect Your Pack^® – pets, family, homes, indoors and outdoors, and everything in between.

Products are available at Wondercide.com, Amazon, Chewy, and at select independent and national retailers in the USA, including PetSmart, Petco, and Pet Supplies Plus. Affiliate available through Amazon and for Wondercide.com through ShareASale or Aspire.

Come be part of our pack at Wondercide.com, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

References:

Associated Press. “Lyme Disease Case Counts in the US Rose by Almost 70% in 2022 Due to a Change in How It's Reported.” USNews.com, 15 February 2024, https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2024-02-15/lyme-disease-case-counts-in-the-us-rose-by-almost-70-in-2022-due-to-a-change-in-how-its-reported. Accessed 8 May 2024.

“Be tick smart as you're out and about.” Wondercide, https://www.wondercide.com/blogs/thewonderside-pets-family/be-tick-smart. Accessed 8 May 2024.

“Chronic Lyme Disease | NIAID: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.” National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), 21 November 2018, https://www.niaid.nih.gov/diseases-conditions/chronic-lyme-disease. Accessed 8 May 2024.

“Lyme arthritis | Lyme Disease | CDC.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/treatment/LymeArthritis.html. Accessed 8 May 2024.

“Ticks and Lyme Disease.” Johns Hopkins Medicine, https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/lyme-disease/ticks-and-lyme-disease. Accessed 8 May 2024.

“Transmission | Lyme Disease | CDC.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 20 January 2023, https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/transmission/index.html. Accessed 8 May 2024.

"Why tick-borne diseases have reached 'epidemic proportions.'" National Geographic, 21 July 2022, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/why-tick-borne-diseases-have-reached-epidemic-proportions.

Melissa Watkins
AMSTERLAND
+1 804-402-5316
MelissaW@AMSTERLAND.com
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