HomeLyme in IndianaFactsDogs Indicate Disease Presence

Dogs Indicate Disease Presence

While human statistics on Lyme in the Hoosier State are limited, the independent Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) provides very up-to-date numbers for canines diagnosed with Lyme disease, Erlichiosis, and Anaplasmosis.

CAPC reported that, in 2017, out of an average of 109,732 dogs that were tested in Indiana:CAPC Lyme disease map

  • 3,680 (equivalent to 1 in 30 dogs) tested positive for Lyme disease
  • 2,051 (equivalent to 1 in 54 dogs) tested positive for Ehrlichiosis, and
  • 428 (equivalent to 1 in 257 dogs) tested positive for Anaplasmosis

These statistics for in-state dogs are important, because the chances that the tested canines and their human owners are being exposed to the same disease-causing tick populations are very high.

So, the difference between the numbers of confirmed human and canine Lyme cases could point to an under-diagnosed public health issue, even considering that a dog is exposed to ticks more often than its owner.

In light of these factors, dogs represent a reliable indicator of a more pronounced presence of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses in Indiana than the current raw, incomplete numbers indicate.

Map Source: CAPC

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