Though you may have heard of Lyme disease, a tick-borne illness caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, it can be difficult to understand what its symptoms look like or how to treat it until your dog tests positive for the disease.
When an infected deer tick bites your dog, the bacterium can be injected into the blood stream and the disease transmitted within about 24 hours. However, it generally takes three weeks to accurately measure your pets antibody (proteins used to fight infection) response to determine if they are truly infected. In some cases, your veterinarian may recommend having the removed tick evaluated at the laboratory for presence of the bacterium.
What Are Some Symptoms of Lyme Disease in Dogs?
Signs may not develop immediately and could take several weeks to months before they are observed. You may notice signs of lameness/limping that changes limbs, for example, it may affect your dog’s front right leg, then the lameness may shift to the back left leg. Inappetence, lethargy and enlarged lymph nodes may also be observed. The bacteria may also cause damage to the kidneys, meaning your pet could lose vital proteins through their kidneys or develop and progressive renal failure, your dog may drink or urinate more frequently, or may not produce any urine at all. If any of these signs are noted, you should seek veterinary attention immediately.
Your veterinarian may see changes on normal bloodwork, indicating widespread inflammation, or kidney changes. The most common test used to diagnose Lyme disease in dogs is a test that is run to determine if there are antibodies against the bacterial protein that causes Lyme disease, called a Quant C-6 or C-6 Antibody test. If your pet tests positive for this simple blood test (regardless of if symptoms are present), treatment is typically pursued. If your pet has been vaccinated against Lyme disease (which never fully guarantees prevention from infection), the tests that are available can now differentiate between a “vaccinated” dog and an “infected” dog.
How is Lyme Disease Treated?
The most commonly pursued therapy is with antibiotics. The most common antibiotic used to treat Lyme disease in dogs is doxycycline, though there are other antibiotics that may be prescribed. Treatment usually lasts for at least four weeks, with repeat examinations to ensure clinical signs are improved. If your pet has unfortunately fallen ill or suffered from kidney disease or failure as a result of the disease, they will be closely monitored for improvement pending their response to therapy. Your veterinarian may also suggest alternate treatments or diagnostics other than those discussed here. Lack of clinical signs after beginning antibiotic therapy, as well as a decline by 50 percent in the antibody level three to six months after finishing a course of treatment, indicates an excellent response.
And although humans can also suffer from Lyme disease when bitten by the tick, it is not spread directly from dogs to humans.
Can Lyme Disease Be Prevented?
There is now an established vaccination against Lyme disease which is recommended if you are in an endemic area or if your pet has been exposed to ticks previously. This is especially true in the north eastern United States as well as South East Canada. Though, with environmental temperatures rising, we are seeing more tick activity than ever before.
In addition, talk to your veterinarian to discuss the specific steps you should take to prevent ticks on your pets.