What Is Lyme Disease?
First recognized in dogs in 1985, Lyme disease is an infectious disease that is spread by ticks. The primary carrier is the common deer that lives in the upper Midwest and the Northeast. In the western United States, there is another tick that carries this disease. Lyme disease has been found in every state but this is not to say that every state has the tick that carries this disease. This spread comes from people who travel to the endemic areas and take it home with them.
It has been found that eighty-five percent of cases in humans have occurred in the states from Virginia to Massachusetts, on the eastern coast. What causes Lyme disease in dogs is somewhat different from humans. It has been reported that this illness in dogs will occur between two to five months after the infected tick has bitten the dog. Horses too can get Lyme disease but it is not as big a problem. Dogs will show various symptoms of Lyme disease with the most common being a fever of 103 to 105. There can also be joint swelling, lethargy, appetite loss and swollen lymph nodes. For some dogs, a progressive kidney disease will develop and because it is not easy to treat, death is possible.
If your dog is diagnosed with Lyme disease, it is wise to have follow up blood tests as well as urinalysis to see if the kidneys area affected. There have also been cases where some doge will have trouble with their nervous system and they can also develop heart problems. Dogs will not show the rash that is found on humans who have been bit. Treating a dog for Lyme disease involves antibiotics and these have been known to work well. The antibiotics are given generally for two weeks although thirty days is recommended by vets. There are some dogs that will relapse even after thirty days of antibiotics. Most of the dogs who are treated for Lyme disease do well on doxycycline treatments and those dogs with arthritis that is severe, will also be given pain relievers along with their antibiotics. To prevent Lyme disease in dogs, there are vaccines that can be given as well as a program for tick control. Lyme vaccines are not supported by all vets as some feel that they are ineffective. There are some dogs who have be given the vaccines and still contracted Lyme disease.
