Lyme disease prevalent in Bemidji area

BEMIDJI (AP) -- Lyme disease has made its way to the Bemidji area, according to a study of dogs in the area.

During the Animal Care Clinic vaccination clinic the last two weeks of April, Eric Thorsgard said he and his colleagues began testing for Lyme disease in dogs for the first time. Of 422 dogs tested, 86 dogs -- or 20 percent -- turned up positive for the disease.

"We didn't used to push the Lyme disease (vaccine) in this area," Thorsgard said. "I think it's moving this way. If we have that much in the dogs, if there's that much out there in the ticks, we're probably going to see a rise in people and horses."

The vaccine gives dogs good protection, especially coupled with an external parasite control.

The most commonly seen symptoms of Lyme disease in dogs include fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, arthritis with swollen joints, pain and lameness. The symptoms can vary in intensity, can spontaneously resolve, and may return weeks or months later.