Lyme Disease Cannot Be Passed On From Pets to Humans

Lyme disease, also known as borreliosis, is a tick-borne disease. Deer ticks (both adult and nymphal ticks) pass the disease on to humans and animals when they carry a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi. The disease can be passed through handling an infected tick or being bitten by an infected tick.

Many people think that they might be able to ‘catch’ the disease from their pets, but this is not the case. Although an animal can have the disease, they cannot pass it on to a human or another animal. Only a tick can pass on lyme disease. Of course, if you are picking ticks off of your pet, or handling them in any way, then you are at an increased risk for contracting Lyme disease. If your pet is carrying infected ticks into the household, then you are at an increased risk, but if your pet is infected and not carrying ticks inside, then you will not be able to contract the disease. Regularly using tick collars and other tick prevention methods for your animal can decrease the chance of them being brought into your home.

Lyme disease symptoms include a skin rash known as erythema migrans, as well as fatigue, fever, depression and headache. If the disease is not treated it can lead to issues with the heart, joints and nervous system. In most cases the symptoms and infection can be eliminated with antibiotics





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