Rugby star Matt Dawson speaks about his battle with Lyme disease
Rugby star and TV presenter Matt Dawson has spoken about his experience of Lyme disease.
The former England captain, who was born in Birkenhead, contracted the disease from a tick bite while training in London back in 2016.
The bacterial infection affected his heart and resulted in him having several operations.
After 18 months of treatment he's now free of the disease. However, Matt is still on medication and it will take some for his heart to fully recover.
The star is now supporting the Big Tick Project to help raise awareness of the disease.
Like many, Matt believed that Lyme disease was associated with foreign countries and underestimated the risk of the threat in the UK.
The Big Tick Project has studied ticks on both cats and dogs since 2015.
It is estimated there are 2,000 to 3,000 new cases of Lyme disease in England and Wales each year.
Dawson, who said he and his family are "always around animals", said: "I hooked up with the Big Tick Project because of its alliance with pets."
He said he would advise pet owners to seek a specific tick prevention prescription from their vet.
The Big Tick Project, run by MSD Animal Health, is conducting the largest veterinary study of ticks and tick-borne diseases in the UK.
The project is supported by more than 1,200 vets across the UK, and has so far examined more than 12,000 dogs and collected more than 6,000 ticks.
Just over three in 10 dogs (30.7%) were found to have been carrying a tick.
The project's 'threat map' shows the high risk areas, species of ticks found on dogs studied and where people should be most vigilant.
Five facts about Lyme disease:
The disease is transmitted through a bite from an infected deer tick.
Common symptoms include: fatigue, muscle pain, headaches, a stiff neck, light and sound sensitivity.
After being bitten, some people can develop the Lyme symptoms weeks, months, years or even decades later.
One in three pet dogs have ticks.
Groom your pet regularly and check for any evidence of tick infestations.
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