Lyme Disease And Canines

Some insurance plans cover lyme disease dogs, but some only cover it for people who spend a lot of time outdoors and are considered high-risk.

Even with the vaccine, the FDA has warned, people still need to take precautions against ticks, such as avoiding tall grass and shrubby areas and tucking slacks into socks when brushing against vegetation.

LYMErix has its critics.

Some patients have complained that the vaccine has caused severe arthritis, and a growing number of lawsuits against the manufacturer have been filed.

“I'm not real crazy about the vaccine,” Piper said.

He doesn't like the fact that it takes a year to become effective, and then isn't as effective as it could be, he said. And he worries about the potential side effects.”I wouldn't give it to somebody who isn't high-risk,” he said. Some of his patients who take the vaccine include groundskeepers and tree surgeons, for example.

But Spyropoulos, who has been administering LYMErix for more than a year, said he has seen no serious side effects in any of his patients. Dr. Scott Olewiler said a year ago he would not stock LYMErix until it had been on the market for at least a year. He now is satisfied it is safe. “There's been no evidence to link this to arthritis,” said Olewiler, infectious disease specialist at Beebe Medical Center in Lewes. “To my knowledge, the incidence of people getting joint pain [while taking LYMErix] is no different from the general population.”

Still, he administers it only to people who are outdoors a lot and considered high-risk, he said. Sue Driver of Wilmington has started a support group for people who suffer from the disease. Driver, 45, was inspired to organize the group because she felt victims of Lyme disease should be able to get together and share information.

The first meeting was in May, and about 10 people attended. Most said it took a long time for them to get diagnosed, Driver said. They felt doctors should be pushing harder to diagnose and treat Lyme disease and become more educated about the disease, Driver said. “We're running around for years trying to figure out what's wrong with us,” Driver said. “I am hoping that just by existing, [the support group] will raise awareness.”

Micky Bergey thinks she contracted Lyme disease in the back yard of her Chadds Ford, Pa., home.

After the first few days the symptoms are headache, fatigue, chills and fever, swollen lymph nodes, a rash in the shape of a bull's- eye, muscle and joint pain.

After weeks or months the symptoms are nervous system problems that could affect sleep, memory, coordination and concentration, Dizziness and irregular heartbeat, Pain that travels from joint to joint.

Lyme Disease