Out for blood: Southwest Va. residents warned about ticks, Lyme disease

By WAYNE QUESENBERRY/Staff

These creepy little bloodsuckers strike fear in the hearts of most people. The sight of the tiny parasites crawling along produces shivers while finding one embedded in human skin creates panic.
The dreaded tick is making multiple appearances across Wythe and Bland counties as the warm weather sends people outside. This provides the tick with more opportunities to hop aboard human beings and animals for a free ride and meal.
“I’ve had some people report seeing more ticks this spring,” noted Dr. Rebecca Beamer, a Wytheville veterinarian. “I’ve had some people reporting not seeing as many. It seems to be more of a geographical issue.”
According to the Virginia Department of Health, which recently sent out a news release warning about tick dangers, a greater number of ticks thrives in forest areas, around the edges of forests and shaded areas with tall grass and vegetation. They can’t fly but have the capability of jumping long distances despite their size.
The blacklegged tick, formerly called the deer tick, can infect people, dogs, cats and horses with Lyme disease. The bacteria that causes the ailment are spread through the bite of an infected tick which has been attached to a person’s body for at least 36 hours.
Within days to weeks following an infectious tick bite, 80 percent of the patients develop a red rash around the bite site which slowly expands and clears around the center. The rash is usually accompanied by general tiredness, fever, headache, stiff neck, muscle aches and joint pains.
The rash usually appears seven to 14 days after tick exposure, the VDH reports. If not properly treated, Lyme disease can cause some patients to develop arthritis, neurological problems and heart problems weeks to months later, the department notes.
Lyme disease is diagnosed primarily by signs and symptoms of the ailment with blood tests performed to confirm the disease.
The VDH points out that when Lyme disease is detected early it is treated with oral antibiotics. In later stages, antibiotic treatment last longer and is more complicated with patient response slower to treatment.
According to the VDH, the number of cases of Lyme disease in Wythe and Bland counties was not available for last year. There were two cases reported in Wythe County in 2009.
“In 2010, 1,245 cases of Lyme disease were reported in Virginia,” said Robert Parker, public information officer for the VDH. “This is the greatest number of Lyme disease cases reported in a single year in Virginia.”
Dr. Beamer reported treating several cases of Lyme disease in dogs at her Community Animal Clinic Inc. so far this year. She pointed out that cats, horses and cattle can also contract the disease.
“It’s not usually fatal in animals,” Beamer said, “but they can get sick from it.”
While there is a Lyme disease vaccine for animals – none for human beings – the ailment is usually treated with medicinal drops, according to Beamer. The number of drops, she said, depends on the dog’s weight.
The VDH offers the following tips to people for decreasing their risk of getting Lyme disease or other tick-borne diseases:
 Conduct a tick check on yourself and your children every four to six hours and promptly removing any ticks.
 Wear light colored clothing so that ticks are easier to see and remove.
 Tuck pants legs into socks and boots, tucking shirts into pants and wear long-sleeved shirts buttoned to the wrist.
 Apply tick repellant to exposed areas of the body and to clothing that may come into contact with grass or brush.
 Keep grass and underbrush thinned in yards.
 Eliminate wood piles and objects that provide cover and nesting sites for small rodents around your property.
 Check pets for ticks regularly and remove the ticks promptly.
 Ask your veterinarian to recommend tick control methods for pets.
Wayne Quesenberry can be reached at 228-6611 or wquesenberry@wythenews.com.