Lyme Disease in Dogs

Lyme disease is caused by a spirochete (type of bacterium), Borrelia burgdorferi. Lyme disease is transferred by a tick, in this area most commonly the deer tick.  A tick must be attached for a minimum of 24 hours for the disease to transfer.  Once in the blood stream, the Lyme disease organism is carried to many parts of the body, but most likely to localize in joints.

When people get a tick bite and have Lyme, they have a characteristic “bullseye”.  In dogs that is not the case.  Dogs and cats do not get rashes like people do, and their symptoms can be similar to many other diseases, making diagnosis a little tricky.  Dogs with Lyme disease can often have a characteristic switching leg lameness.  Other dogs can have just limping, generalized pain in their legs and joints.  Other dogs will start to not eat, act lethargic, or have a fever.

There are two blood tests that may be used for confirmation of Lyme disease. The first is an antibody test. This test does not detect the actual spirochete in the blood but does detect the presence of antibodies created by exposure to the organism.  The other test is called the western blot.  This is a specific test looking for the antibodies produced by the spirochete that causes Lyme disease.

When we test for Lyme disease, we are testing for exposure.  Which means that at some point in the past few months your pet has been exposed to a tick carrying the spirochete that causes Lyme Disease.  Not all dogs that test positive need treatment, this will be up to the discretion of your veterinarian.  Because the Lyme spirochete is a bacterium, it can be controlled by antibiotics if treatment is necessary.  The treatment is a long course of a specific antibiotic.

The key to prevention is keeping your dog from being exposed to ticks. Ticks are found in grassy, wooded, and sandy areas. Ticks are extremely prevalent this year, we are unfortunately removing many ticks this year and having a lot of positive tests.  They find their way onto an animal by climbing to the top of a leaf, blade of grass, or short trees. Here they wait until their sensors detect an approaching animal on which to crawl or drop.  Keeping your pet on a flea and tick prevention from a veterinarian is the best was to prevent disease transfer.  There are also vaccine options.

For any additional questions, please call the Village Veterinary Clinic of Hamburg 646-4023!