Tick disease has been known by many names,
rabbit fever, Lyme disease and summer fever.
Detecting tick diseases and illnesses can be difficult
in humans and pets due to the bacteria's ability
to hide or act like other diseases.
The tick can also harbor more then one
type of disease making detection difficult.
This makes contradictions in detecting Lyme
Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted fever, Erlichiosis,
Relapsing Fever and Tularemia or Rabbit Fever.
Testing often comes back with false results making
these bacteria difficult to find.
After catching Lyme disease and Erlichiosis while
living in Arkansas, along with having a dog that
contracted the disorder these tips and hints may
be useful in detecting these hard to discovery disorders.
The Center for Disease control or CDC considers these
diseases are becoming more wide spread. Ticks and
some blood seeking Flies carry these diseases from
one animal to another.
Deer, squirrels and rabbits are affected each summer.
Hunters know to look at the liver of the game they take
for white spots which is a sign of Rocky Mountain Spotted
Fever (Rickettsia rickettsia) or Rabbit Fever( Tularemia).
The rash may be accompanied by fatigue, fever, headache,
muscle and joint pains.
A fairly newly discovered or recognized disorder carried by
ticks is STARI. Once considered a Lyme disease because
of the similar rash, this disorder does not cause any arthritic, neurological, or chronic symptoms.
STARI stands for Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness
because people are more likely to catch this disease in
the southern United States, although the Lone Star Tick
that carries the disease is found as far north as Maine.
The cause of STARI is unknown. Studies have shown
that is not caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium
that causes Lyme disease. Another spirochete, Borrelia
lonestari, was detected in the skin of one patient and
the lone star tick that bit him.
Each tick carries a different type of bacteria so if you are
bitten by a tick it is important to look at the tick and identify
the culprit.
The CDC has a vast amount of pictures and
information that can help a person identify which tick
they were bitten by and how long to wait for symptoms.
Symptoms make these diseases look very much alike
and difficulty to determine which of the diseases is
affecting you. Treatment is the same for any of the
diseases which makes treating this disease easier
then detecting.
This disease can lay undetected in your body for months
with the only sign being a low grade fever that you do not
realize is affecting how you feel. If you feel tired, check
for a low grade fever.
If you have a low grade fever that does not go away
which makes you feel sluggish and not quite yourself
then think back to if you have been in any way able to
be in contact with a tick.
Has your dog been on a run in the grass or woods
then come in to sleep with you?
Even petting your pet can transfer the smallest of ticks
to your body where they can go undetected never letting you
know they have fed on you and given you a illness.
Ticks come in the smallest of sizes, they can look like
ground pepper sprinkled on a paper plant they are so small.
You can rub against a blade of grass and hundreds can hitch
hike a ride.
Below are links to the Center for Disease Control here in
the United States, where you can find more information about
the symptoms and treatment of Tick Disease.
I would love to give you credit for this very cool graphic.
Thanks.
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