Can infected dogs give Lyme disease to people or other pets?
A. No. Lyme disease is not spread by contact with infected animals (or people). Infection occurs only when a tick carrying Lyme disease bites an animal or person. But ticks can make their way into your home, attached to your dog. To be safe, check your dog, yourself and other family members for ticks after spending time outdoors.
Lyme disease is not spread by person-to-person contact or by contact with infected animals. Infection occurs only when a tick carrying Borrelia burgdorferi bites an animal or person. Where is Lyme disease found? Lyme disease has been detected in all 50 states, and each year, Lyme disease cases are reported in more areas of the United States. While the Northeast and Upper Midwest typically have had the largest per capita populations of deer ticks, the Pacific Northwest has isolated clusters of Ixodes pacificus tick populations, and no region is completely without risk. Travel by people with their dogs is also a major factor in exposure to environments with infected ticks. Is my dog more likely to contract Lyme disease more than me? Dogs are significantly more susceptible to contracting Lyme disease than are humans. In some areas, dogs can be 100 times more likely to contract the disease than their two-legged companions. Prolonged outdoor activity frequently exposes dogs to the deer tick
