Lyme Disease, Borreliosis, in Horses
  by Robert N. Oglesby DVM

Disease caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi was first identified during an outbreak of poly-arthritis in children in the town of Lyme Connecticut during the early 1980's and has become to be known as Lyme Disease. Shortly thereafter the source of the infection was identified as the deer tick also known as the black legged in some areas. Lyme disease has also been identified in dogs as a cause of poly-arthritis and in a few cases progressed to major organ disease including the kidneys and heart.

Undiagnosed fever, stiffness, and lameness are common problems in equine medicine. Serological testing of horses indicated that they too are readily infected by this organism and by the 1990's the disease was being diagnosed in horses based on location of the horse, clinical signs, and seropositivity. Though Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease occurring in people and possibly dogs, questions remain about the significance of the diagnosis in horses. This article discusses what is known about this disease in horses including life cycle, modes of transmission, clinical signs, diagnosis, and treatment of this disease in horses.

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