Experts are predicting that because of the mild winter across much of the U.S., this year’s tick season will begin earlier than previous years. For this reason it’s important for pet parents to become extra vigilant about protecting their dogs from Lyme disease, which is transmitted by ticks.
Lyme disease affects both humans and animals (dogs are more susceptible than cats). According to the ASPCA, its primary carrier is the deer tick, which feeds on rodents in its early stages, and then transmits the bacteria causing Lyme disease by biting humans or animals.
Although it was first diagnosed in a dog only 25 years ago, the disease has been around for at least 100 years: It was discovered in a DNA sample from a white-footed mouse from Massachusetts in 1894.
Unlike humans, who can begin getting a rash and flu-like symptoms almost immediately after being bitten by an infected tick, it can take dogs months to show any of the canine symptoms of Lyme disease, which makes it tricky to diagnose.
While people typically get a round rash with the tick in the center, dogs do not. The first and most pronounced indication that your dog may have Lyme disease is lameness in his legs that shifts from one leg to the other, according to the Dog Health Handbook.
Lyme disease has been diagnosed in all 50 states, but it is most prevalent in the Northeast and upper Midwest due to environmental factors. Those areas were heavily deforested by early settlers before 1900, decreasing the population of deer and their ticks. When those areas were later reforested, the white-tailed deer population boomed, along with the infested ticks.
Lyme disease may be difficult to diagnose in dogs, but if it is caught early enough, it is treatable and your dog can live a healthy life.
What are the Symptoms of Lyme Disease in Dogs?
For dogs, Lyme disease symptoms don’t often appear until about two to five months after a bite. Along with lameness in his legs, the ASPCA notes that your dog may show the following symptoms:
Fever between 103 and 105 degrees
Swelling in the joints
Swollen lymph nodes
Lethargy
Loss of appetite
Although it’s rare, some dogs may develop severe progressive kidney disease after contracting Lyme disease. This is difficult to treat and may be fatal. It is recommended that a dog with a positive Lyme antibody test be given additional blood tests and a urinalysis to assess his kidney function.
What Causes Lyme Disease in Dogs?
Lyme disease is caused by bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi, which can attack many of your dog’s internal systems. The cycle of Lyme disease begins when a female deer tick lays eggs in the spring.
According to the Mar Vista Animal Medical Center website, “A very small six-legged larva hatches and attaches to a host as soon as it is able. Since the larva is very small, it typically can only reach a small host, usually a white-footed mouse. If the mouse is carrying the Borrelia, the larva can get infected at this point.”
“Lyme disease is a perplexing condition because it can present itself in so many different ways,” writes Ron Hines, DVM, on 2ndchance.info. “No two cases are alike and the wide variety of symptoms that Lyme can produce can be confused with many other dog diseases. Because if this, it is sometimes called the ‘great pretender.’ The fact that Borrelia usually produces no immediate symptoms at all in most dogs makes the situation even more confusing.”
Humans can’t catch Lyme disease from dogs, but if an infected tick bites your dog and then bites you, you could become infected.
How is Lyme Disease Diagnosed in Dogs?
The most common test for Lyme disease in dogs is the Idexx SNAP 3Dx, which, according to Hines, is usually run in your veterinarian’s office after a sample of your dog’s blood is drawn. The test checks for Lyme exposure as well as the presence of heartworms.
Your vet may also run the 4Dx test, which screens for anaplasmosis, another infectious bacterial disease carried by deer ticks. “These tests are for exposure only,” Hines warns. “A positive test result does not tell you if the organism is still present, how many organisms are present or if the organism is causing problems in your pet.”
Hines advises pet parents not to panic if their dogs test positive for Lyme disease. In 2007, almost 20 percent of dogs in Connecticut had positive results. You should also be aware that a false positive could occur if your dog has been vaccinated for Lyme disease, since he may have received or been exposed to similar organisms in the vaccination.
If your dog tests positive, your vet may perform a second blood test, called a Quantitative C6 assay, to check for the level of antibodies your dog has produced against a specific surface protein on the Borrelia bacteria.
Hines writes, “The beauty of this test is that it measures the level of a specific antibody that is only present when the Borrelia is still present. So dogs that have cured themselves or received prior vaccinations are not confused with pets that have an active Lyme infection. It is hoped that this test will also allow your veterinarian to monitor the success of antibiotic treatment of your pet.”
How is Lyme Disease Treated?
The American College Of Veterinary Internal Medicine recommends a 30-day treatment with the antibiotic doxycycline. The ASPCA reports that with prompt, proper treatment, your dog’s condition should start to improve within 48 hours.
If your dog has joint pain, your vet may also prescribe a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as Remadyl. If his kidney function tests were abnormal, your vet will probably have him stay on the antibiotics longer, and you will be advised to feed him a special diet formulated to reduce his kidney problems.
Hines notes that although dogs usually improve while on antibiotics, the disease is probably not completely eliminated from their bodies. Most veterinarians think that it goes into remission but remains in the dog’s body.
How is Lyme Disease Prevented?
To prevent Lyme disease, you must eliminate your dog’s exposure to ticks. If a tick does make its way onto your dog, it needs to be embedded for 24 to 48 hours to spread infection – so the sooner you find it, the better.
You should be extra careful during “tick season,” which runs from April to November in most parts of the country, but be aware that your dog can become infected any time of the year.
Use a topical flea-and-tick control product regularly on your dog.
Check your dog for ticks every day. In addition to a visual inspection, run your fingers through your dog’s fur with enough pressure to feel any bumps.
If you do find a tick on your dog, put on gloves and remove it with sharp-pointed tweezers. Grasp the tick as close to its head as possible; if you pull from the middle of the tick’s body, it can still inject its contents into your dog. Gently pull the tick straight up and out of your dog’s skin – don’t twist it – and drop it into a jar of rubbing alcohol to kill it. If you prefer, have your vet remove the tick; this way you can observe the correct way to do it.
Most of all, try to keep your dog’s environment free of ticks. According to the ASPCA, “The key to any successful tick control program lies, literally, in your own backyard.” To encourage a tick-free environment, you should regularly mow your lawn, remove tall weeds and keep garbage covered and inaccessible to rodents.
While Lyme disease vaccinations are available for dogs, Mar Vista notes that they are only useful for dogs that have not had any exposure whatsoever to Lyme spirochetes; in other words, they are best for dogs traveling from non-endemic areas to areas where Lyme disease is widespread.
Find A Vet HOW TO articles are intended for informational purposes only. You should always consult with your veterinarian about any health issues affecting your dog.
PHOTOS: Scott Bauer, Philg88, Stuart Meek, Centers for Disease Control
Category : HOW TO
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