About Lyme Disease In Dogs

How Does a Dog Get Lyme Disease?

Lyme Disease is a vector-born disease, which means it is an infection disease which is transmitted by another living organism, in this case the teeny-weeny Deer Tick.

Deer Ticks (aka Black Legged Ticks) primary host are deer, but these little critters aren't picky, and if your dog happens to wander through long grass or wooded areas, then they will happily 'jump aboard'.

Lyme Disease isn't 'contagious' and you can't catch it from your dog, however if an infected Deer Tick bites you then you can be infected in exactly the same way.

This disease can occur in almost any part of the US. Recent studies show Lyme Disease carrying ticks in 37 states and Lyme Disease cases in humans has tripled in the last 20 years.

Although ticks are generally associated with rural areas, long grass and wooded land, they are common in suburbs, city parks and even urban areas because they're brought in by wildlife who are often attracted to easy pickings of food in populated areas.

The states where Lyme disease is most prevalent include:

• Illinois
• Iowa
• Maine
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• North Dakota
• New York State
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• Tennessee
• Virginia
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin

Not all dogs who are bitten by infected ticks will get sick, and not all deer ticks are carrying Lyme Disease. Studies have shown that a large percentage of dogs already have some immunity, but there's no way for you to tell by looking whether or not your dog is at risk.

It's best to follow tick prevention measures, and also treat any tick found on your dog as a potential threat (there are also other tick-borne diseases such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ehrlichiosis and others to be concerned about).

Deer ticks are small, usually between 2 to 3.5 mm, and a fully grown adult is no bigger than a sesame seed. When it is sucking blood however, it grows considerably in size and is easier to see.

The images above show and adult deer tick before and after it has been gorging on a host animal's blood. See how the body has completely changed in shape? Nasty!

If your dog has picked up a tick you need to remove it as quickly as possible. Getting it off him within 24 hours can really reduce the chances of it being able to transmit Lyme, or any other diseases.

Here are some important tips to help you make removing a tick from your dog as simple, and safe, as possible:

• For the fastest, easiest, most fool-proof tick removal I highly recommend either Dr. Mercola's Tick Stick Kit or the Tick Twister Set. They work great and make it a snap to remove small or large ticks.
  
  
• Grasp the tick's head, don't grip or squeeze the body
  
  
• If the head or any part of the tick is left under the skin check the area carefully for signs of infection until healed (could be several days). If there's redness or swelling have your veterinarian examine your dog
  
  
• Get your dog on a regular flea/tick preventative to reduce the chances of having to repeat the procedure

Treating Canine Lyme Disease

Treatment for Lyme disease in dogs is usually very effective, if the illness is recognized early enough.

Symptoms can progress very quickly, so getting help as soon as you realize something isn't quite right is hugely important. Of course, this applies to all diseases and conditions, the earlier you get an evaluation and treatment plan in place, the faster your dog will recover.

Blood can't be tested for Lyme until three to five weeks after a suspicious tick bite, as it takes that long for antibodies to be produced and show up in the blood stream. 

The most commonly used antibiotics used for treating Lyme Disease in dogs is Doxycycline. Other antibiotics including Amoxicillin may also be used. Sometimes anti-inflammatory medications are also given to reduce swelling and discomfort.

Antibiotic treatment is usually given for at least three weeks, often four. Prompt diagnosis and treatment gives your dog the best chance of making a full recovery but Lyme disease can be tricky and symptoms can improve, and then worsen over time. However correct antibiotic treatment significantly reduces your dog's chances of developing severe or chronic lyme-related issues later on.

Symptoms generally improve quickly once antibiotics are started. If you don't see a noticeable change in your dog within 3 - 5 days, take him back to your veterinarian for another evaluation. He may need a different medication or an additional one.

The earlier the antibiotics are started, the better the chance that your dog will make a full recovery. As always, it's important to finish the entire course of antibiotics because if they're stopped too early, symptoms may come back (along with the risk of the long-term damage).

Early detection is so important with Lyme Disease in dogs, and yet blood tests aren't going to be use until around a month after the possible infection. That's worrying! But if you remove the tick yourself there's a fantastic product which can give you priceless peace of mind:

As symptoms don't show for weeks, this early warning can allow you to set up treatment much earlier than would otherwise be possible, saving a lot of discomfort, pain, distress and cost.

This lyme disease tick test works just as well for ticks who bite humans as it does for those who bite our dogs. I keep one in my mudroom closet, just in case any of our family members get 'ticked'.

Some collars such as the Preventic Tick Collar or a Seresto Tick Collar can also be used, but as these may not be as effective as the topical treatments.

It's a good idea to use them as extra protection if ticks are really bad in your area, or if your dog spends a lot of time out hunting/walking in long grass or wooded areas. A Preventic collar can be used at the same time as the topical treatments, and is effective for up to 3 months.

If you live in an area where Lyme Disease is prevalent, you may want to consider having your pup vaccinated against it. Although not 100% effective (no vaccine is!), it's still the best way to protect a high-risk dog.

Finally, here's a great tip that can reduce the chances of your dog getting bitten by a tick, or bringing one home to the family... 

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