Lyme Disease Partnership, Veterinarians & Pediatricians

American Veterinary Medical Association CEO Dr. Ron DeHaven announced on my WGN Radio Steve Dale’s Pet World radio show a new initiative with the American Academy of Pediatrics to fight Lyme (and other tick diseases).

HEAR the interview.

If a dog is diagnosed with Lyme….easy enough to diagnose for veterinarians with a four-way in clinic test (which also tests for two other tick diseases as well as heartworm which is carried by mosquitos)…now the dog’s owner will be told how it’s possible human family could have Lyme too since we share our environments with our pets. Children are especially susceptible, in part, because they are so close to the ground; they may even play on the ground and may not notice small ticks.

Similarly now pediatricians, when diagnosing Lyme in children, will ask if the family dog has been tested for Lyme.

Like so many illnesses – in dogs and in people earlier diagnosis is associated with a better outcome. Another reason to see your veterinarian for check ups once (or better twice) a year. Hopefully, children are seeing the pediatrician that often.

This first of a kind coalition between human and veterinary medicine will save human lives.