Endemic or not in any geography is no longer easy to define. It seems the medical community is at odds with its approach to diagnosis and treatment. Parallel to the human discussion is the ongoing debate about vaccinating dogs. These two articles are helpful resources for making decisions about Lyme prevention, treatment as well as addressing animal owner questions.
One thing for sure, dead ticks do not transmit Lyme
Source: Forbes, August 2, 2019. Link. Infectious disease specialist Judy Stone discusses human recommendations and juxtaposed organizational dynamics.
Source: Today’s Veterinary Practice. Link. Despite availability of a consensus statement and up-to-date canine vaccination guidelines the decision whether or not to vaccinate dogs against Lyme disease remains an ongoing debate among many veterinary professionals.
INSIGHTS: There are four canine Lyme disease vaccines. They produce borreliacidal antibodies in response to vaccinal outer surface protein A (OspA). These antibodies work in the tick’s gut to bind the bacteria during the blood meal, sterilizing its gut and preventing transmission of bacteria into the dog.