Vaccines are available to protect your dog against Lyme disease, but this vaccine is not necessary for every dog. There are a number of factors to consider and discuss with your veterinarian before vaccinating your dog against Lyme disease.
Risk of exposure based upon lifestyle and location
Lyme disease is endemic in some areas of the U.S., but is rarely found in others. Some dogs live a comfortable life on the couch, whereas other dogs spend their days hiking in the great outdoors. Obviously, a couch potato pup is far less likely to be exposed to Lyme disease than an outdoorsy dog, but no dog’s risk is zero. Discuss both your location and your dog’s lifestyle with your veterinarian before deciding if the vaccine is necessary.
Tick prevention medication alone vs. used with the Lyme vaccine
Numerous high quality and effective tick prevention medications are available through the veterinary market. It is important to remember that no preventative will be 100% effective, just as no vaccine is 100% effective. Tick prevention should be used in all dogs that live in tick infested areas. A Lyme vaccine may be helpful to provide added protection for those dogs at the greatest risk.
Prevention or current infection with Lyme disease
It is possible for dogs to become reinfected with Lyme disease after the initial infection has been treated. Vaccination against Lyme disease can be protective, just as it is in a dog that has never been infected with Lyme disease. However, if the initial infection had not fully resolved, there are concerns that the vaccine itself could lead to kidney damage.
History of any other vaccine reactions
Vaccine reactions are relatively uncommon in dogs, but can occur in any dog at any time. If your dog has experienced a vaccine reaction in the past to any vaccine, it may be best to avoid giving additional elective vaccinations, or at least taking precautionary measures. Be sure to discuss any history of vaccine reactions with your veterinarian.
Cost
Prior to starting a Lyme vaccine series, it is best if a dog is tested for the presence of Lyme disease with a blood test. The Lyme vaccine must also be given in a series of two vaccines spaced 2-4 weeks apart, and is then given at least annually. If the annual vaccine is missed, it is thought that the booster series should be restarted. Blood testing and booster vaccines all add up to an increased cost.
Efficacy of vaccine
Again, no vaccine is 100% effective. The Lyme vaccine is around 87% effective, relative to the rabies vaccine, which is over 99% effective.
Testing confusion
Fortunately, the most widely used in-house tests for tick borne diseases (IDEXX 3DX, 4DX, or C6 quantitative blood tests) are not affected by the Lyme vaccine. This means that a positive result occurs as a result of natural infection or exposure to Lyme disease, rather than a response to antibodies developed in response to vaccination. Confusion can arise because older types of tests (IFA or ELISA, often used in tick titers) would show positive results for Lyme disease from vaccination alone, exposure to Lyme disease, or an active infection with Lyme disease.
Ultimately, there is a lot of controversy even between veterinarians regarding the use of Lyme vaccines in dogs due to the potential risks and benefits. Tick control measures through preventative medications should be given to all dogs in a tick endemic area, regardless of whether or not a Lyme vaccine has been given. Exposure to other tick borne diseases, such as Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, among others, is possible in tick endemic areas. The risks and benefits will vary for each individual dog, so take the time to discuss the use of the Lyme vaccine in your dog with your veterinarian.