What Is Lyme Disease?

Lyme Disease, named for the small Connecticut town in which the very first case was ever found, is the most common tick-borne disease in the United States. In fact, 49 of our 50 states (all of them except for Hawaii) have seen plenty of diagnoses since the illness’s origins in Lyme, Connecticut, in the year 1975. The United States reports roughly 30,000 cases each year, according to the CDC, and Mosquito Squad of Hartford, CT, wants to help reduce that number.

Carriers of Lyme Disease

Various species of ticks are notorious carriers of Lyme Disease, along with other dangerous illnesses such as Tularemia, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Alpha-gal Syndrome, Babesiosis, and many more. 

Lyme Disease can be spread by the bite of a black-legged “deer” tick or the western black-legged tick, and it is a disease that can affect animals just like it affects humans, with relatively similar symptoms.

Ticks, technically classified as blood-sucking parasites rather than simply outdoor pests, can feed on their hosts for days or even weeks at a time before they are discovered. This gives the tick plenty of time to contaminate the blood of a current host with that of a previously infected animal or human. 

Symptoms of Lyme Disease in Humans

Lyme Disease can show up in any combination of early and late symptoms.

Early symptoms:

• Fever, chills
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Muscle and joint aches
• Swollen lymph nodes in the absence of rash
• Erythema migrans (EM) rash (“bull’s-eye rash”)
  • Occurs in approximately 70 to 80 percent of infected persons anywhere from 3 to 30 days following initial tick bite (average 7-day delay)
  • Begins at the site of the tick bite 
  • Reaches up to 12 inches or more in diameter over the course of several days
  • May feel warm to the touch but is rarely itchy or painful
  • Though commonly at the site of the tick bite, the rash could appear on any area of the body

Late symptoms:

• Intense headaches and neck stiffness
• Rashes
• Facial palsy (loss of muscle tone or droop on one or both sides of the face)
• Arthritis and severe joint pain and swelling, particularly in the knees and other large joints
• Intermittent pain in tendons, muscles, joints, and bones
• Heart palpitations or an irregular heartbeat (Lyme carditis)
• Dizziness and shortness of breath
• Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord
• Nerve pain
• Shooting pains, numbness, and/or tingling in hands or feet 

Symptoms of Lyme Disease in Animals

Unfortunately, pets like cats and dogs who spend a great deal of time outdoors are susceptible to Lyme Disease just as we are. One important difference between Lyme in humans and pets is that animals will not develop a “bull’s eye” rash as a symptom.

In animals, symptoms can present in several ways:

• Fever
• Lameness, limping, joint pain/swelling
• Enlargement of lymph nodes
• Lethargy

If symptoms are left untreated for long periods of time, Lyme disease in pets can progress to fatal kidney disease. We always recommend talking to your vet about the best preventative treatment options for your pets.  

Lyme Disease Prevention

The best way to help protect yourself and your pets against Lyme Disease is to utilize outdoor pest control, and your best bet is to trust a pest control company such as Mosquito Squad that specializes in efficient and effective tick control. Mosquito Squad offers two approaches to mitigating tick populations in your yard:

• Our traditional barrier treatment effectively controls mosquitoes and ticks. We offer recurring treatment plans with applications every three weeks. 
• The tick tube method is an add-on option that uses biodegradable products placed underground and relies on local wildlife habits to spread the treatment throughout your property and reduce the potential for housing tick breeding grounds. Another add-on includes our yard defender package, which is a granular treatment that defends against ticks, fleas, mosquitoes, and mound-building ants.

It is important to note that any time of year when the outside temperatures sustains 45 degrees or higher, there is a possibility for tick activity. There is a common misconception that they are only active during the summer months, but this is not always the case! Contact us for comprehensive defense against tick populations in your area.

Help Protect Yourself from Lyme Disease with Mosquito Squad of Hartford, CT

Mosquito Squad’s trained technicians provide superb tick control treatments to minimize tick populations in your yard and outdoor spaces. During our initial visit, we will conduct a thorough inspection of your property to locate tick breeding grounds or other potential problem areas such as wooded areas, tall grass, brush or debris piles, and more. Once this is done, we will administer treatment and provide the defense against Lyme Disease that your family deserves. Contact Mosquito Squad of Hartford, CT, today to learn more.