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Dealing with Lyme disease dog is not one of my most pleasant experiences. The thought of a parasite drinking the blood of my dog like dracula is enough to make me squeamish. But with the risk of disease and infection it is important to look for ticks daily and to quickly remove them. There are many effective ways for lyme disease dog treatment, tick removal and prevention including lyme disease vaccines . Lyme disease in dogs is caused by a bacterium that is carried by ticks. They attach to your dog and feed on its blood until the tick becomes enlarged. Ticks can cause local irritation, infections and Lyme disease. Tick season tends to be highest in the spring and autumn. To survive at each stage of their lifecycle, a tick needs to attach itself to a host such as a deer (their favorite), a dog or a person. When they get their fill of blood they drop off until it is feeding time again. This is why ticks cannot be passed from one dog or person to another, but a dog can pick up a tick in one area and cause an infestation in another, including your home (not the most pleasant thought). Ticks looks for the thinnest skin on the dog so they tend to attach themselves to the face, ears and abdomen. Ticks are difficult to remove because once they attach themselves they release a substance that glues their body to your dog. This is why the when removing a tick it is difficult to remove the body and the deeply attached head. Dogs outside of high-risk regions have a 1% chance of getting the disease and are generally not given the Lyme Disease Dog vaccine. Only 5% of dogs in a high-risk area show any symptoms with 80% of dogs showing Lyme disease bacterium (called B. Burgdorferi). Note that it is not clear if in the long term being infected with no symptoms is a problem later in your dogs life - such as future joint problems. What a Tick Looks LikeA tick that just attached itself to your dog will look like a small grey dot on the skin of the dog. As the tick grows it looks like a mark that just happens to appear such as a mole. The tick will attach itself for 5 to 7 days. You can tell it is a tick by the scales at its hind legs. As the tick drinks the dog’s blood it gets enlarged. When the tick is done drinking, it will fall off, consume the blood it drank, and then look for a new host such as another animal or person.Riskiest Areas to Contract Lyme Diesase DogLyme disease dog is prevalent in the following areas:High Risk All other states are low risk. Symptoms of Lyme Disease DogSymptoms usually appear 2 – 5 months after your dog is infected. If your dog shows any of the following symptoms, they may be been bitten by a tick:Fever (some dogs do not develop a fever) Symptoms such as heart disease, renal issues, seizures and aggressive behavior are extremely rare. Diagnosis of Lyme Disease DogBlood tests are not particularly helpful in determining if your dog has Lyme disease as there may not be any change in the standard readings.Instead your Veterinarian will use a four step checklist to make a determination including: 1. Has your dog had Lyme disease or a tick bite before Other diseases that look like Lyme include bacterial endocarditis rheumatoid, infectious or immune-mediated arthritis (lupus erythmatosis), osteopathies, degenerative joint diseases, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and ehrlichiosis. Dog Lyme Disease TestThe Serology test looks for enzymes in the blood associated with Lyme disease. The problem is that there are two types of vaccines (whole cell/killed Lyme or subunit). The ELISA test can tell if your dog has the disease only if it has not been vaccinated or it if had the subunit vaccine. If your pet had the whole cell the test cannot tell if your dog has the disease or a reaction to the vaccination itself.A newer test called the Canine SNAP 3Dx or the C6 SNAP test. It is done in your Veterinarian’s office and if positive a follow-up test is done and sent to a lab to confirm the findings. Follow these links to find out about
lyme disease dog treatment, tick removal
and lyme disease dog
vaccines and prevention
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