Lyme disease

[PrettyPaisley]

If a goat is a carrier can it be transfered in the milk? If the goat is a carrier (and most likely there is no way to know it) does the Lyme spirochete die with heating the milk to a certain temp? How do you know if your goat has Lyme disease?

[beccachow]

There is debate amongst us Lymies. Some feel that mother's milk can pass the disease if mom is infected. I would take that one step further and say a goat could transmit it via milk, IF it can be passed that way. I know I can never give blood again. These are tough TOUGH critters that can only be killed by massive doses of antibiotics. Some camps think that there is no way to pass the disease from one living creature to another, but there was a study done that TBE can be passed through the food chain. Lyme is such a highly debated disease that no one has any definite answers to much of anything about it. Were it me, I wouldn't drink the milk until a test proves her negative. Then again, I have had such a hard way to go throughout my years of illness that I might just be super gun-shy.

Do you have reason to think some goatie is infected? A vet blood test is the only way to know for sure. Symptoms in animals can be the same as humans...unexplained fever, swollen joints.

[PrettyPaisley]

I have absolutely no reason to think that any of my goats are infected based on symptons I saw online. I admit I know nothing about Lyme disease-didn't even know it was a topic. A friend asked about it in regards to eating the cheese I've been making. Since some is truly raw and the other is heated to 145-the question was whether or not the Lyme disease would die if the milk doe was infected.

Thanks for sharing. I guess it's just up to the person to decide for themself.

[beccachow]

It is just so unknown, no one has any real answers as to transmission. There was even some talk that it could be transmitted sexually. Then you have docs that sya, "No big deal, here is a couple weeks of anitbiotics, knock yourself out." These same docs refuse to acknowledge there is "chronic lyme"...a condition I have had (not had? lol) for years now. If you don't have reason to think your goaties have Lyme, they probably don't. Cheese away!

[noeskimo]

I was under the impression that Lyme's required an intermediate host-usually the deermouse.

[Alice In TX/MO]

From the CDC:
Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks.

[beccachow]

Alice the CDC doesn't even cover half of the reality of this disease. Doctors fighting, crazy cures and people taking advantage of seriously ill people, infants reported getting the disease from infected mothers, people claiming it isn't possible, rumors of sexually transmitted lyme, more rumors that it isn't possible. Unfortunately I know first hand every theory, every treatment or non-treatment, every rumor there is. And some will admit the truth: we just don't know enough. I doubt that it is transmitted through an animals milk, but if it can survive in blood long enough and through being refrigerated that I cannot donate, then it *might* be able to survive in other fluids as well.

Then again, I am completely paranoid that someone else will contract this horrible disease. I would hate for any of my friends (you all included!) to EVER have to go through this. So I do admit, I might be a tad overly cautious about this topic.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Yeah, I know. I was just looking for info on transmission. Please don't use the word paraoid. You *know* what happens when we talk about CAE and CL.

Edited to add:
I have two grandchildren with serious health issues. Luckily, they have both triumphed (knock on wood, thank God) over them, but those situations have me with a slightly less *stressed* point of view.

[beccachow]

God IS good! Glad to hear your grandkids are doing so well!