Preventing Lyme Disease in Dogs

Lyme borreliosis, better known as Lyme disease, is a tick-borne infectious illness. The bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi is carried inside of a tick and transferred through a tick bite, where it can travel through the body causing problems in organs and overall illness. Lyme disease carrying ticks are generally found in tall grasses, thick brush, marshes, and woods.

Named after a number of cases first appeared in Lyme, Connecticut in 1975, the disease can be hard to detect and can cause serious health problems for both dogs and people. Today, over 95% of cases occur in the Northeast, the Upper Midwest, and the Pacific coast and a small percentage along the West Coast. Percentages in these areas are constantly changing though, due to deforestation and migrating deer and birds. A small number of cases occur in Canada, mostly found in southern Ontario and Manitoba.

Ticks attach themselves to us and dog by waiting on vegetation; once we brush by, they hitch a ride and crawl to a spot to bite. For a dog, it takes 24-48 hours for a tick to transmit the disease once attached. Typical symptoms in dogs of Lyme disease are:

• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Reduced energy
• Lameness
• General stiffness, discomfort, or pain
• Joint swelling

Kidney failure and serious cardiac and neurological effts are known progressions of the disease, which can be fatal. Lyme disease in a dog can be identified via blood tests from your veterinarian. If your dog tests positive, usually antibiotics will resolve symptoms in 30 days. If symptoms continue after that time, prolonged therapy and therapy for particular symptoms may be required.

Lyme disease can only be transferred through tick bites. If your dog has tested positive for the disease, you cannot immediately get it from him. However, there are a few things to note. Your pet could bring a tick in the house which could then get on you. Also, you have probably been in the same outdoor environment where he got bit and you should possibly get tested, based on your physicians recommendations.

Your dog can carry other tick-borne bacterial diseases, such as anaplasmosis and babesiosis. Both have a wide range of symptoms, which require blood tests to diagnose. Sometimes “co-infection” occurs, where your dog becomes sick with multiple tick-borne diseases. This can make diagnoses and treatment difficult.

Preventing ticks is the best course of action. This can be done by the following:

• Inspect daily for ticks, especially after walks through woods or grass settings. Don’t forget the paws between toes, lips, ears, and around the tail.
• If you find a ticket, remove it ASAP. The proper method of tick removal uses a pair of fine tweezers.
• Have your veterinarian check for ticks; they may be able to find some that you may have missed.
• Speak with your vet about a veterinary-approved flea and tick medication for your dog.
• Keep your grass short and refrain from walking in grassy patches.
• Get your dog vaccinated with proper medication from your veterinarian.