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History of the Lyme Vaccine

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With the recent news of a possible new Lyme Disease vaccine, we decided to give some context to the story and provide a variety of sources for those that are interested.

Here are some different perspectives on the elusive Lyme Vaccine and the hope of a new vaccine that is promising to be effective in preventing Lyme.


In the past
The history of the Lyme Vaccine

CDC - Lyme Disease Vaccine

NIAIDH - Overview of Lyme Vaccines



In Recent News
Lyme Disease Vaccine has been fast tracked

Lyme disease vaccine Phase 2 study slated for second half of 2018

Valneva R&D - Developer of the new Vaccine



*Posted by Ev, LDRD Webmaster
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Lyme Disease and your pet

It is vitally important that we check our pets for ticks on a trip by trip bases. Every time you venture outside you should check your pet before you come back inside.

We all give our pets medicine to deal kill ticks on contact, this is necessary for their well being and our peace of mind. Even so, your pet can bring ticks in from outside without you knowing about it and they pose a danger to you and your family. This year alone our dogs have brought in ticks at least a dozen times and it is only May!

In an article from
South Coast Today:

"Dr. Rachel Ashley, a member of the staff at Capeway Veterinary Hospital of Fairhaven, emphasizes that while the deer tick is very prevalent throughout New England, there are several other tick species that are found in the area. Deer ticks carry Lyme disease, which can be transmitted not only to dogs but also to humans."

“Every year there are more and more cases of tick-related diseases,” she said.

Ashley adds that the abundance of wildlife places the region at high risk. She urges owners to check their dog’s fur even in sub-zero weather, adding that ticks like to grab onto a canine’s fur in a process called “questing.”

“Questing is a behavior exhibited by hard ticks as a way of increasing the chances of coming in to contact with a suitable mammal host,” Ashley said. “The behavior involves the tick ‘climbing up a blade of grass or other structure and then waiting with its front legs outstretched.’”
Read the full article here

Be sure to check your pet in these areas:
  • Behind the ears
  • Sides of the eyes & eye lids
  • Between the toes
  • On the tail

We use the flashlight built into our cell phone to make it easy to see in the hard to see spots!


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Natural Tick Repellents

Many people are not comfortable using chemical repellents on their skin, pets or even in their yard.

New studies on the effectiveness of essential oils and naturally derived insect repellents have emerged in recent years that do show promising results.

But what are reputable sources for deciding what repellents to use?

The Official Word?
What does the CDC say about natural tick repellents using essential oils? Click here to read the CDC page - https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/prev/natural-repellents.html


And the doctors?
Here is an article on MD Junction about Citronella and Oregano Oil - https://www.mdjunction.com/forums/lyme-disease-support-forums/tips/10741380-essential-oils-to-kill-ticks


Traditional wisdom?
And the good old trusty Farmer's Almanac. What are considered to be the traditional remedies for repelling ticks? Take a gander - https://www.farmersalmanac.com/7-natural-tick-remedies-work-27452

This year has been a bad year for ticks around these parts here in the Blueridge Mountains of North Carolina and we have been inspired to update our knowledge on the healthy alternatives, we think you should too!

Article by Ev (LDRD Webmaster)
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