Local health officials warn against tick-borne illnesses
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on August 3, 2017 5:50 AM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Veterinary assistant Amber Neeb helps Dr. Osbone Wilder with Gracie's exam Wednesday at Berkeley Veterinary Clinic. Veterinarians are a great source of medication and tips to protect your pets from Lyme disease.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Dr. Osbone Wilder holds a pamphlet about parasite life cycles and diseases available to provide information at Berkeley Veterinary Clinic Wednesday.
This is prime time for tick-borne illnesses, for humans as well as for pets, and North Carolina is definitely on the hit list, officials say.
Ticks -- small, bloodsucking anthropods -- can transmit diseases to people and animals. Illnesses can include Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and ehrlichiosis.
"Fifteen years ago, when I came out of veterinary school, the thinking was that Lyme disease was in the Northeast, so if you didn't have a travel history, there was no concern," said Dr. Osbone Wilder of Berkeley Veterinary Clinic. He is also a member of the Wayne County Board of Health.
"That may have been the case then, but it's not true now."
Cases have occurred in this state, he said, and definitely in Wayne County.
Josa Raynor-Vaughn, communicable diseases program manager with the Health Department, is notified whenever a physician reports a diagnosis or even the initial blood work for potential tick-borne illnesses.
"Our responsibility is to report -- it's a 'probable case,'" she said. "We don't get a confirmed case until that second lab comes in.
"Most times people don't go back and get that second lab, so it goes in as 'probable.'"
Her role is to pass along the information to the state, she said.
"Here in Wayne County we have probably so far this year, what I have seen, is four probable cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever and three probable cases of Lyme," she said.
According to the latest statistics from the state DHHS, Department of Health and Human Services Department, over a five-year period from 2009 to 2013, the state reported 601 cases -- 134 confirmed and 467 probable.
Ticks tend to populate in wooded and bushy areas, Mrs. Raynor-Vaughn said.
Education and awareness is key to prevention, she said.
"We just recommend that people try to stay away from where they think ticks will be -- tall grassy areas, deep woods and leaf litter," she said.
The recommendation is to wear long pants, tucked inside of boots or socks, long sleeves. For exposed areas of the skin, use an insect repellent that contains DEET.
There are different repellents for humans and animals, she pointed out, cautioning against using the people version for animals.
Constant checks are advised, she said.
"When you come inside, check yourself for ticks, check your whole body," she said.
Parents are also encouraged to check children for possible ticks or bites, she added.
"If you see a tick, you need to remove it right away -- use rubbing alcohol, wash your hands with soap, remove it with tweezers, held straight up," she explained. "Don't use nail polish or petroleum jelly. Some people use a hot match -- that's a no-no."
If undetected, symptoms to be on the lookout for include fever, muscle aches, tiredness, headaches, nausea an vomiting and a spotted rash or large bull's-eye rash around the bite area.
"If they have any of those, they need to go to the ER or go to their physician immediately," she said. "Most doctors, they usually can go ahead and treat it with antibiotics."
Tick season is usually early spring to late summer, she said, but in warm climates like North Carolina, can span all year long.
And while deer ticks are the ones most people are familiar with, Mrs. Raynor-Vaughn said the ones prevalent to this area are dog ticks.
In his veterinary practice, Wilder says the animals most affected are dogs and cats, which can get Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and ehrlichiosis, just like their owners.
"When they get infections, they can have a whole range of symptoms -- anemia, low platelets, joint problems, just general lethargy, lack of appetite," he said.
One of the best defenses is flea and tick control medications. There are some new drugs on the market, once-a-month pills that have proven quite effective, he said.
"A few years ago, a new class of drugs came out, a chewable you give once a month," he said. "For 12 times a year, they seem to work very effectively for ticks and fleas.
"They're not available for cats at this point, but there are some topical ones that are very good."
The majority of dogs his practice sees that come in with ticks have likely not been on any sort of preventive regimen, he said.
"The first thing we monitor is, when a tick bites a dog, it has to stay attached to transmit to the dog," he said. "It doesn't happen very quickly. It has to stay attached, taking a 'blood meal,' they call it. Sometimes it can be 24 hours or more to actually transmit the disease."
Check animals daily, especially if they are outside in wooded areas. While not every tick is carrying a disease, prevention is key.
One effective measure is the heartworm test, done during the annual checkup.
"It does tell you that they have been exposed," he said. "Maybe their immune system fought it off. But we do see a decent number of dogs that have been exposed."
Living in an area which has such mild winters, he said, it is better to get into routine rather than have to treat them later for something more serious.