If your pet exhibits recurring arthritis, lameness, loss of appetite and depression, you might want to start paying attention - it could be suffering from Lyme disease.

Barbara Barsocchini, vice president of the California Lyme Disease Association, stated that rodents carrying the ticks that carry the disease could pass it on to cats and dogs, who could then transmit it to their owners. She found this out the hard way when she adopted a cat which carried Lyme disease-infected ticks. "I now have a chronic illness. I don't think I'll ever get rid of this," said the Malibu resident. Malibu, by the way, makes a good breeding ground for ticks because of its mixture of rural and urban landscapes. 

Dogs and cats with Lyme disease may show the following symptoms:

• Recurrent arthritis and lameness lasting for three to four days
• Loss of appetite
• Depression
• Reluctance to move
• Stiff and painful gait
• Swollen joints that are warm to the touch
• Pain in the legs or throughout the body
• Fever, fatigue and swollen lymph nodes

Symptoms of Lyme disease may appear or reappear with varying intensity and can mimic numerous other conditions. The signs of the disease may not even appear for several months after the infection and animals may already be infected even if they're not obviously sick.

In humans, symptoms may include the "bull's-eye" rash, flu-like symptoms, neurological, arthritic and/or heart troubles. Early detection and prompt antibiotic treatment is crucial in curing the disease as delayed treatment usually results in a debilitating chronic condition that is difficult to treat. To minimize the dangers, especially in areas known to harbor Lyme disease, keep your pets exclusively indoors or outdoors.

If you suspect you or your pet may have Lyme disease, seek medical help immediately before it spreads to any members of your household.