My dog is the scapehound of Salem

[duchesse]

I'm going to try to summarise this, but apologies for the length:

So, we live in the countryside- our nearest neighbours are at the end of the garden and over the road, 150 metres away. The ones behind us are about 300 m across the field.

My neighbour and friend, who's in her mid 40s, had a stroke two years ago. About a year ago, still suffering from the aftereffects of the stroke, she picked up a tick bite, possibly when sitting having coffee with me. A few days later, the bite swelled up. A number of us in the village (a village of about 20 people) suggested she get it investigated, as a 6 yr old (from the house behind us) in the village had just had been treated for Lyme disease.

She was still feeling very unwell from the stroke, and decided not to have it investigated. Fast forward a year, and her list of symptoms has continued to grow, increasingly diffuse (including chronic pain and heart palpitations), and her doctors are utterly stumped.

For some reason, a few weeks ago, our lovely neighbor reminded her about the tick bite and advised her to get tested again. despite the GP's scepticism, he tested her, and bingo! She has Lyme disease.

She has been on ABs for three weeks now. I crossed her in the road yesterday, and passed on my commiserations about her new diagnosis (our timetables rarely overlap, as she is usually asleep in the mornings, so we only catch up every so often- that is very usual around here). She was fine and friendly despite clearly being unwell.

All of a sudden, her husband (a curmudgeonly type at the best of times) blurted out:

"She got it from your dog!"

"Erm, excuse me?" said I, wondering why my dog and not theirs. Thereafter ensued a merry debate for a few minutes, during which it transpired that our 6 yr old yellow Labrador, who spends his time sleeping, is the hound of Hell, our garden is a damp wooded place, and we are clearly utterly to blame for his wife's ill health.

Now, sorry as I am about my neighbour's illness, I do not feel in any way responsible for her Lyme disease. I think he is mad. AIBU?

I should say I had a mental image of my poor pooch being beaten to death with pitchforks, or dare I say it, hounded out of town...

Well you said it yourself.....she has lyme disease! The Gp has diagnosed it!

So obviously, yes, the curmudgeonly type man is mad! Easy!

No, but she got from my dog, apparently. He is Typhoid Mary and should be locked away.

YANBU but I love "scapehound of Salem"

However, having a garden that's a "damp wooded place" is absolutely not on - I can't believe you're here posting on MN rather than recreating arid desert-like conditions and felling trees. Where are your priorities ?

Hassled. I'll me saw.

get. I'll get me saw. duh

I think you should ignore it as an emotional outburst from a man already caring for someone who ill already and has had his burdend increased.

Lyme disease is on the increase in a massive way though, some forestes have warnings out about it.

We always cover up when we are out.

But can you tell me where you live so I can avoid your tick infested dog.