Does Your Pet Have Lyme Disease? Here is How to Tell

Lyme disease is a serious disease that occurs in dogs after they are bitten by ticks that are infected by the bacteria, Borrelia, that cause the disease. To prevent the disease, there are several vaccinations available that can be administered by your veterinarian. The vaccine itself is not one hundred per cent effective, but is an important first safeguard to protecting your pooch. There are several steps beyond this that you should consider taking to keep your dog as safe as possible. First, pick up a pet friendly insecticide that can help reduce the tick population in your area. Spray this insecticide as often as directed along a five hundred meter radius surrounding your dog’s usual play area. In addition, be sure to keep your pet protected using one of the various products available on the market. These products usually need to be administered each month for optimal protection, and can be either pills or liquids applied directly to the dog’s skin. As with the vaccine, these are not one hundred per cent effective. In fact, the tick may remain on your dog for a short time, sometimes even biting your dog, before the repellant kicks in. The longer an infected tick is attached to your dog, the higher the likelihood of transmission. There are also several shampoos on the market that will kill ticks on your dog. Many dog owners’ first instinct is to double up on preventative measures by applying a quick spray-on tick block before heading out. Talk to your veterinarian before doubling up to ensure that there will not be adverse reactions from the combination of drugs. If you live in an area that hosts a lot of ticks, or if you frequently take your dog into wooded areas for activities such as hunting, keep your dog’s hair short and be sure to check him regularly for ticks. If you find a tick on your dog, carefully pull him off with tweezers and be sure not to pop the tick. If you find ticks on your dog, it is important to recognize the symptoms and seek treatment as soon as possible. Symptoms Symptoms of lime disease include loss of appetite, limping, lethargy, and a swollen lymph node on the affected appendage. Since Lyme disease often attacks the joints, this limping will progress gradually over the course of a few days. Generally, after three or four days your dog will completely avoid using the sore limb or even completely refuse to move. In addition to these visible symptoms, your dog may have a fever above one hundred and three degrees, so keep an eye on his temperature. Finally, Lyme disease can damage your dog’s heart muscle and nerve tissues. These issues can cause permanent damage, or even result in the death of your dog. The key to successful treatment of Lyme disease is timely detection; waiting too long to take your dog to the vet for treatment can result in permanent nerve and joint damage. Treatment The treatment for Lyme disease is long-term antibiotics and medication for joint pain, usually aspirin. Antibiotics are typically prescribed for three weeks or more. Over ninety percent of dogs treated within the first week of symptoms make a full recovery. Other times, dogs will suffer from permanent, sometimes debilitating, joint pain caused by the bacteria’s damage. A small percentage of dogs will relapse, so be vigilant for recurring symptoms and communicate with your veterinarian if you think the disease is making a comeback. If you suspect Lyme disease in your dog, immediately take him into the vet’s office for diagnosis; waiting can be fatal.