Lyme Disease

This is a tick-borne disease that can be very debilitating to our dogs. The organism that causes Lyme Disease is a spirochete bacterium (Borrelia burgdorferi), primarily carried by the deer tick or black-legged tick. The disease is transmitted from the tick to a dog through a tick bite. Ticks can be very difficult to see on a hairy animal, especially if it is a juvenile deer tick. These are no larger than a pen point. Owners often tell me they never saw a tick on their dog when the lyme test is positive. I also want to mention – people cannot get Lyme Disease from their dogs. Although, an animal may carry a tick into the household where it can fall or brush off onto a person. Even though summer is winding down, we still need to be very vigilant in trying to prevent transmission of tick borne diseases. Ticks are most active in the spring and fall. Any time the temperature is above freezing, they are out feeding. Even if there is snow on the ground! The tick climbs onto vegetation, especially along well-used animal trails, to gain a better vantage point to encounter its hosts. It does not have the ability to fly or jump, therefore it requires that the host come into contact with the vegetation and ticks. They are often found along the edges of lawns and walking trails. I have had owners tell me they didn’t think their dog could get Lyme Disease if they were walking them on a leash or if their dog never left their fenced-in backyard. Black-legged ticks can come into your yard/neighborhood on a variety of different wildlife, including birds.

Tick prevention is essential any time of the year. Even in CNY, we rarely get a month when the temperature doesn’t get to 32 F. Prevention is especially important, since by the time we diagnose the dog with Lyme Disease, it is very difficult to completely clear the dog of the organism. There is also a Lyme vaccine that is available for dogs. Your veterinarian can recommend the best tick control product(s) for your pet.

The most common symptoms of Lyme Disease in a dog include: joint swelling/lameness, lethargy/very little energy, decreased appetite, fever, and sometimes swollen lymph nodes in the lame leg. There are certain antibiotics that veterinarians prescribe to resolve the infection. The sooner antibiotic therapy is instituted, the better the success is for a complete recovery. There is a small percentage of dogs that will have some type of relapse of signs and even fewer that will die. Fortunately, the majority of dogs do not get ill when exposed to Lyme Disease. If you see any of these symptoms or suspect Lyme Disease, call your veterinarian.

I have done extensive research on the best and safest flea/tick preventatives and treatments. Southern Hills Veterinary Hospital stocks these products to treat pets and the environment. We make sure that owners are educated on the proper use and safety of everything sold at our hospital. Please don’t hesitate to call or stop by to get more information.

Lyme Disease is a relatively new in this area. There are still a lot of unanswered questions about the disease process in our pets. At our hospital, we have diagnosed several cases of Lyme Disease in the last year. We will continue to see more cases in the up coming years, so it is important to do a good tick prevention program tailored by your vet. This way, you and your pet can enjoy the outdoors safely.
Lydia Aris VMD

Southern Hills Veterinary Hospital
315-696-6699
TullyVet.com

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