The Basics:
Lyme disease is an infectious disease caused by a bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi. The common deer tick is the primary carrier of this organism. A dog or person acquires Lyme disease through the bite of an infected nymph (immature) or adult tick.
- For a nymph or adult tick to transmit B. burgdorferi, it must be attached to the dog for about 48 hours.
- If a tick dies or is removed before 48 hours, transmission of the bacteria will not occur.
- Clinical illness in dogs usually occurs two to five months after a bite from an infected tick, even in endemic areas.
What to watch for
Dogs show several different forms of the disease, but by far, the most common symptoms are:
- A fever of between 103 degrees and 105 degrees.
- Lameness.
- Joint swelling.
- Enlarged lymph nodes.
- Lethargy.
- Loss of appetite.
The “bulls-eye” rash or circular area of redness around the tick bite, which is seen in people, is not seen in dogs.
Diagnosis of Lyme Disease
If your dog shows evidence of lethargy, lameness and loss of appetite, he or she should be evaluated by your veterinarian. Your veterinarian will likely run a blood test called a 4DX to see if your dog has antibodies against the organism that causes Lyme disease.
Four criteria for diagnosing canine Lyme Disease
- History of tick exposure.
- Typical signs and symptoms.
- Antibodies against B. burgdorferi (positive 4DX test).
- Prompt response to antibiotics.
Treatment of Lyme Disease
- Treatment for Lyme disease consists of using either a tetracycline or penicillin-based antibiotic.
- The two most commonly used are oral doxycycline or amoxicillin.
- The earlier that treatment is started following the onset of clinical signs, the better for your dog.
- There is generally good resolution of clinical signs within two to three days of starting treatment. Antibiotics must be given for a minimum of 14 days, but 30 days is recommended.
Some studies show that some animals may not even clear the organism after 30 days of treatment and will relapse once the antibiotic is discontinued. In these cases, the animal may have to be on the antibiotic for a much longer period of time.
Prevention of Lyme Disease
Prevention of Lyme disease involves the use of vaccination and tick control programs. Dogs that were infected once with B. burgdorferi can become reinfected, so they too need protection.
I remember someone saying that if you live in a place where ticks are prevelent you need to check your dogs often. Thanks for the post.
Such perfect timing! Esa was just diagnosed on Saturday with Lyme Disease.
I am happy to report that she is close to being 100% herself this morning. Of course, she'll be on the antibiotics for awhile longer and we will be watching her closely!
Thats all great stuff to know. We are out with the dogs so much I have to be very aware of the risk of ticks.
Oh no Ronalyn I am so glad you caught it early and your baby is doing better already. Lots of loving healing thoughts being sent your way.
Hi Felissa.
Nicely done post and certainly very timely. There are just a few things I might add.
The ticks that transmit Lyme disease are tiny and aren't always noticed by the pet owner. So, generally, in our office anyway, we don't rely heavily on a history of tick exposure. If the dogs has signs consistent with Lyme disease, we go ahead and test, even the owner has never found ticks on the dog.
It's worth noting also that the symptoms that you noted are the most common. However, there is also a form of Lyme disease that can affect the kidneys, so monitoring kidney values through blood and urine testing is a good idea for dogs that test positive for Lyme disease.
In regards to the vaccination for Lyme disease, that's a pretty controversial subject. Some veterinarians recommend it extensively, others don't suggest using it at all. A lot depends on the how high the risk factors are for the individual dog. In any case, it's important to remember that vaccinating against Lyme disease does not remove the necessity of controlling ticks because there are so many other diseases that ticks can carry that are not prevented by the vaccine. And some of those diseases are even more serious than Lyme disease!
Thanks for bringing this subject up. It's an important thing for people to be aware of.