Facts About Lyme Disease
Spring is here -- but unfortunately the warmer weather also means the return of ticks. This is why April is Prevent Lyme Disease in Dogs Month.
Lyme disease is caused by the AKA Borreliosis bacteria and is spread by the bite of the black-legged tick or the "deer tick". Named after the city of Lyme, Connecticut after the first documented cases started to spring up there in 1975, it is now one of the most common tick transmitted diseases in the world. It's reach was once limited to the midwest, Atlantic Seaboard and Pacific coastal states, but it has since spread to all of the US states since deer migration patterns have changed over the years.
The Culprit
Black-legged ticks are very small, varying from the size of a grain of sand to a sesame seed (which can make them difficult to spot on dogs.) The tick acquires the disease bacterium when it feeds on an infected animal and then transmits it to the next animal it feeds on. They can often be found in tall grasses, thick brush, marshes and woods and they will usually attach themselves to their host as they are walking by. When bitten by a deer tick, infection usually doesn't occur until the tick has been attached to the animal for at least 48 hours.
Symptoms
Symptoms only occur in about 10% of Lyme cases and typically they don't appear until months after infection which can make diagnosis very tricky. Stiffness in movement in your dog along with an arched back and a "walking on eggshells" walk is one of the most telltale signs. Other things to look for include:
- Fever
- Decrease in appetite
- Sensitivity to touch
- Lethargy and loss of energy
- Difficulty breathing
- Depression
- Swelling of joints
- Lymph nodes next to bite might be swollen
Diagnosis
If Lyme disease is suspected, a veterinarian will evaluate symptoms and get the dog's history and then will perform two tests called the C6 test and the Quant C6 test. The C6 detects the presence of certain antibodies. If they are found, the Quant C6 test will be performed to determine if antibiotic treatment will be necessary.
Treatment
Usually an antibiotic called Doxycycline will be prescribed for the dog along with an noninflammatory pain pill if needed. The primary visible symptoms will begin to disappear after 24-48 hours but it is important to keep treating them for at least 30 days with the antibiotics. In some cases, treatment may be extended beyond that and even when the disease has gone into remission, there is a chance it may return at a later date and kidney disease could develop in extreme cases. But with supervision and careful treatment, the dog is likely to make a full recovery.
Prevention
Here are some tips for preventing canine Lyme disease:
- Don't allow your dog to roam in areas where deer ticks are common
- Keep your grass mowed short
- Check your dog's skin and coat daily
- Remove any ticks found with a small pair of tweezers
- Have your veterinarian prescribe prescription flea and tick collars or topical and oral products that kill and repel ticks
- Ask your vet about getting your dog vaccinated
When inspecting your dog, pay particularly close attention to the toes and feet, lips, around eyes, inside ears and near the anus and under the tail. If a tick is found and removed, it may be a good idea to put it in a sealed plastic bag and kept in a freezer in case your vet wants to do testing later.
The good news is that with vigilance, this disease can be caught early or prevented. Proper education along with daily inspections of your dog during tick season and regular checkups can go a long way in keeping Lyme disease at bay.
Mike Walker
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