Lyme disease is a inflammatory disorder caused by infection with the tick-borne bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. It is named Lyme disease after the place in Connecticut, USA where it was first recognised.
 

In dogs, the most obvious symptoms of Lyme disease include: a distinctive 'bull's eye' lesion around the site of the bite, lameness, inflamed lymph nodes and fever.
 

Lyme disease is also the most important disease transmitted to man by ticks in the UK. According to the charity Lyme Disease Action, there are in the region of 500 confirmed cases in the UK each year, but because it is a difficult condition to diagnose, the real number may be as much as 4 times greater.
 

Symptoms of Lyme disease are often flu-like, including: extreme tiredness, muscle pain, muscle weakness, joint pain, headache. They can also include: stomach ache, poor sleep, disturbances of the central nervous system and the distinctive 'bull's eye' rash.
 

If you or your pet suffer any of these symptoms, you should contact a doctor or veterinary surgeon immediately.