Dog Tick Bite

by Gary Smolinsky
(Up state New York)

My ?? to you, 3 weeks ago we discovered a tick my out dog, Having some idea just what a deer tick looked like and the removal, we took the tick out, sent it out to the vet. After 1 week I received a call from them telling me that they do NOT test the tick itself for Lyme , but ?? yes this certain tic is a carrier.

My dog is due for shots in 4 months and the vet said its ok we will ck him over than and take blood to see some results, Is this the norm as No he has no signs yet But seems to have slowed down a bit as he has gotta a wee bit lazy, but I can attest as we live in upstate NY and with winter we all seem to slow a bit.

Is there any thing more we should do at this point and is the vet on the right page.

TY Gary

Editor Comment Dog Tick Bite

Dear Gary,

It sounds like your veterinarian did determine that the tick you sent in was a deer tick and therefore possibly could carry the bacteria that cause Lyme disease.

If that is the case, I think your vet’s approach is perfectly reasonable. As long as your dog isn’t showing any of the signs of active Lyme disease (e.g., swollen lymph nodes, fever, painful joints and muscles, a limp that may shift from one leg to another or disappear entirely only to return later, a reluctance to move) you can wait until his check up appointment.

By then, enough time will have passed that a common screening test for Lyme disease should tell you whether or not he was exposed by the tick you found (or any other tick that bit him in the past).

If he is negative, you have nothing to worry about. If he is positive, your vet can help you decide whether or not treatment with an antibiotic is called for.

Good luck,

Jennifer Coates, DVM