My vet is now regularly checking for Lymes as an annual routine for your dog.   
They said that they have had more positives.   I'm in Placer County. 




________________________________
From: Tom Cushing <tcushing@...>
To: NorCalCanineHikers@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2009 8:16:34 AM
Subject: [NorCalCanineHikers] Re: Hiking season -- tick alert





I have been hiking in the East Bay, mostly. Mt Diablo, East Bay Parks, etc.

The point, however, is that the culprit deer ticks are EVerywhere in CA, and
a significant portion of their population in every county is infected. So,
you're rolling dice if you hike unprotected. Dogs can become infected, as
well, and they're closer to the tick action.

There is also some possibility that the disease can be passed from
human-to-human. Its bugs ("spirochetes" ) are found in various exchangeable
body fluids of infected folks. The docs who treat Lyme have also noticed
that many couples are both infected -- obviously, that does not mean one got
it from the other, esp if both hike -- but it's a possibility to consider.
There's a chance that that is how I got it, as my symptoms are mild,
compared to my SO's, who lives at the base of Mt. Diablo. In that neck of
the woods, there's a real wet/dry seasonal migration of critters up and down
the mountain in pursuit of water. Deer and mice, in particular, are common
hosts/free transportation for ticks.

Folks, I don't want to pass myself off as an expert -- they do exist, and
resources may be found on the CA Lyme Disease website and elsewhere (Google
is everybody's friend). I am also aware that I risk sounding unduly
alarmist, or credulous about the disease and my condition. You'll have to
decide that stuff for yourselves.

I do want to alert folks that Lyme IS a problem in CA, it can be quite
difficult to diagnose (my GF went thru several docs before figuring it out
on her own, as confirmed by credible lab testing -- by which time (three
years) it had gained real footholds in her systems), and it can be quite
thoroughly debilitating if left untreated. It is a whole lot easier to
prevent than cure. So please be aware, take the few necessary precautions
and have fun!


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