Lyme Disease in Dogs... what you need to knowLyme Disease in dogs (also known as Borreliosis), is a tick-borne disease that can have long-lasting and serious health consequences.
But.... the good news is, that if caught and treated early enough, the majority of infected dogs will make a full recovery. If you want to protect your puppy from canine Lyme Disease, it's important to know what causes it, how to recognize the symptoms, and what sort of treatment is recommended. Knowing how to prevent your puppy from catching it in the first place is also a plus! How can my dog get Lyme Disease?Canine Lyme Disease is transmitted through ticks, the Deer Tick (also known as the black-legged tick) to be exact. This is a tiny dark-colored tick, whose primary host are deer.However, it's not picky, and if your dog happens to wander through long grass or wooded areas frequented by deer, this little critter will happily 'jump aboard'! This is NOT good news for your pup. However, the fact that you are aware of this possibility is the key to keeping your dog healthy. Lyme Disease isn't 'contagious' and you can't catch it from your dog, however if an infected Deer Tick bites you then you can be infected in the same way as your dog. Humans tend to suffer from flu-like symptoms, including achy joints and swollen lymph nodes, and a characteristic 'bullseye' rash around the area of the original tick bite. Although Lyme Disease can occur in almost any part of the US, it's more prevalent in certain areas particularly the north-eastern states such as New York State, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Virginia. It's also often found in the Great Lakes area, in states such as Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota, and sometimes in California.
In order for the ticks on dogs to transmit the bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi), they need to be attached to the dog for at least 48 hours. After this period of time the bacteria could be transferred to the dogs' bloodstream through the ticks saliva. However, not all dogs who are bitten by infected ticks will get sick, and not all deer ticks are carrying Lyme Disease. Studies have shown that a large percentage of dogs already have some immunity canine Lyme Disease, but there's no way for you to tell by looking whether or not your dog is at risk. It's best to follow preventative measures, and also treat any tick found on your dog as a potential threat (there are also other tick-borne diseases such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ehrlichiosis and others to be concerned about). Deer ticks are actually quite small, usually between 2 to 3.5 mm, and a fully grown adult is no bigger than a sesame seed. When it is sucking blood however, it grows considerably in size and is easier to see.
Symptoms of Lyme Disease in dogsThe symptoms of canine lyme disease usually appear somewhere between 2 and 5 months after the tick bite. However, they can appear sooner (in as little as a few weeks) or later, up to a year or longer after exposure.The most common symptoms are :
The most important symptoms to be aware of are limping or lameness, swollen joints and/or lymph nodes, and fever. Lethargy and loss of appetite are more general signs of illness, and could more easily be symptoms of many other illnesses or diseases. It's also important to know that the 'bulls-eye' rash that is often seen as a symptom of Lyme Disease in humans, is much less commonly seen in dogs. If the tick bite was on a relatively hair-free area of your dog (ie his belly, inner hind leg etc.), then you may see a red, bullseye type rash around the bite itself. However, most dogs don't develop this symptom, and even if they do the chances are fairly good that it will be obscured by his fur.
Treating Lyme Disease in dogsThe treatments for canine Lyme Disease are usually very effective, if the illness is recognized early enough. If your pup or dog is showing one or more of the signs/symptoms above, seek veterinary attention for him immediately. This illness can progress very quickly, and your pup could go from a slight limp, to being almost immobile within a couple of days.If left untreated, Lyme Disease in dogs can cause some very serious health issues. These include :
So, it's clear how important it is to take your dog to the vet if you have the slightest suspicion that he could have contracted Lyme Disease. Anytime your dog is in a wooded area, or in long grass, he is exposed to ticks. It is vital to check your dog on a daily basis and if you find a tick (or several ticks), remove them immediately. Remember, there's about a 48 hour 'window', before an infected tick can transmit the bacteria that causes Lyme Disease in dogs. So being vigilant about checking for, and removing, ticks. The more common American Dog Tick, doesn't carry Lyme Disease, but most of us can't really tell the difference between tick species. If you see a tick, remove it - that's the only safe thing to do. Your veterinarian can diagnose Lyme Disease with a simple blood test, and if your dog tests positive and is symptomatic, he will be treated with an antibiotic. The most commonly used antibiotics are doxycycline and amoxicillin. A 3 week course of these antibiotics is the minimum most veterinarians recommend, and it may be necessary for your dog to take them for a month, or occasionally even longer. If the antibiotics are stopped too early, a recurrence of symptoms (along with the risk of the long-term damage listed above) may occur. The earlier the antibiotics are started, the better the chance that your dog will make a full recovery. That's why prompt diagnosis is so important with Lyme Disease in dogs.
Preventing Lyme Disease in dogsLuckily, given the potential severity of the effects of canine Lyme Disease, preventing the illness is fairly simple.Using an effective tick preventative on a regular basis will protect your dog, by ensuring that any ticks on him will die within within the 48 hour 'window' before infection sets in. Over the counter products can't be relied on, and it's important to choose a product that contains Permethrin or Amitraz. The most popular brands of topical treatments such as Frontline, Advantix and Bio-Spot are all effective. However Revolution is not an effective treatment against Lyme Disease in dogs as it only kills the American Dog Tick, NOT the Deer Ticks who carry the disease. Advantage is also ineffective as protection because it only kills fleas. Some collars such as the Preventic Tick Collar can also be used. They may not be as effective as the topical treatments though. Because of the risk of illness also posed by fleas, I would recommend using a product that is effective against both fleas and ticks (Frontline, Advantix). If you live in an area where Lyme Disease is prevalent, you may want to consider having your pup vaccinated against this disease. It's a vaccination that is optional, but it's a good idea to talk to your veterinarian about it if your dog spends much time in the woods, if you live in the countryside or often take your dog hiking and so on.
So, to sum it all up................The best way to prevent canine Lyme Disease in the first place, is to use an effective flea and tick preventative on a monthly basis, and to check for ticks on dogs daily, removing any you find immediately.To minimize the effects of Lyme Disease in dogs, make sure you are familiar with the symptoms mentioned above and seek veterinary attention for your dog right away if you think he might be infected. Fleas and Ticks
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