If a pet is diagnosed with Lyme, then the pet's family is also at risk
Published: Oct 4th, 2:24 PM EDITOR:
I saw a little girl about 6-years old rolling in the grass in the Wilson school playground the other day.
Normally, a scene such as this would make a parent happy, however I was overcome with concern.
On these same grassy lawns where our children play during school recess I often see groups of deer grazing in the evening.
The seemingly innocent sight of deer grazing on the same lawns that our children play upon should concern and trouble everyone in our community.
During the summer of 2004, I was bit by some sort of bug.
I never saw the critter, but I subsequently found a 1-inch ring on the back of my knee slightly bruised with clear skin in the center.
I didn't know if it was a pinch or a bite. I had seen Lyme bites before; they can be large reddish rings with central clear normal skin.
Nonetheless, I did not get any of the early symptoms sometimes associated with Lyme disease, flu like symptoms, sweats, sore throat, headache and sinus pain.
I soon forgot about the bite.
The first symptoms of my illness came a few months later.
I initially experienced episodes of shortness of breath. My wife, who is a nurse insisted on a check-up.
I saw a cardiologist, had a stress test. The doctor concluded I was in good health.
The following year, 2005, brought on many new symptoms, urinary/prostate problems along with severe profound fatigue.
The fatigue was so intense I wanted to lay down where ever I was.
Next came night sweats, headaches and sinus pain. My eyeballs hurt.
My teeth ached and became highly sensitive to cold.
I was having G.I. problems, gastric reflux.
My balance became inconsistent; I even broke a toe because of it.
I had problems getting to sleep, staying asleep and I didn't want to get out of bed in the morning.
By the summer of 2005 I had seen a gastroenterologist, an ear nose and throat specialist, a neurologist, an urologist and an internist, I had no diagnosis.
By the summer of 2005, I was getting depressed, having episodes of forgetfulness, brain fog and began to believe that I was going crazy.
I suspected Lyme disease but a simple Lyme titer test was negative. By January 2006 I was getting worse.
I saw a Lyme specialist who took the appropriate tests, and IGG/IGM Western blot antibody test, which confirmed that I was suffering from Lyme disease.
A big problem with Lyme is the insidious nature of the disease and its mimicking of so many other conditions.
Too often initial Lyme tests will give ``false negative'' results. One negative test does not rule out Lyme.
Additionally, when bitten by a tic, not only can you contract Lyme disease but you can also acquire other infectious bacteria in the same bite, called co-infections such as Bartonella, Mycoplasma, Ehrlichiosis, and Babesia.
Each of these infections can cause different symptoms. These additional infectious agents are often not tested in the casual Lyme examination.
I firmly believe we are facing a huge surge in the number of people contracting Lyme in our area.
Three of my sons' friends were treated for Lyme disease last summer. One was bit in Pennsylvania.
Another in Virginia and I know of one bit on Orton Road in West Caldwell. Each was treated with antibiotics and is doing fine.
I know of two families in our town in which every member of the family has Lyme. In my own family three of us have had Lyme. I fear these cases are just the tip of the iceberg.
The tic is here and now other animals carry it such as squirrels, mice, pets, etc. Decreasing the deer population would definitely help but the first step in fighting the disease is public awareness.
Your local government must get involved.
Local service groups need to embrace the fight against the disease. A local veterinarian says he is finding a large number of pets with Lyme disease.
The public has to be made aware of the disease. Everyone must be educated as to how it is contracted, how it can be recognized, and how it can be prevented.
We must all know that early detection and early treatment are paramount in fighting the awful nature of the illness. Ask yourself ``Do I know someone with Lyme disease?''
If the answer is ``yes'' then do something to encourage prevention, detection and treatment.
DR. ALBERT WACHA
West Caldwell Township
Posts: 571 | From Massachusetts | Registered: Oct 2008
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