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Lyme Disease in Dogs

Lyme Disease in Dogs

Borreliosis

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Updated on September 26, 2024
SUMMARY OF CONTENT
Lyme disease is an infectious disease spread by ticks. It is caused by the bacterium *Borrelia burgdorferi* and is transmitted via a tick bite.
SEVERITY:
Severity is moderate
  • Diagnosis Icon
    Requires a diagnosis by a veterinarian
  • Time to Cure
    May resolve within weeks to months after medical treatment, but can become a chronic condition
  • Treatment Icon
    Treatable by a veterinarian and by the pet parent
  • Prevention Icon
    Check dogs for ticks after being outdoors. Use a quality tick preventative prescribed by your veterinarian. There is a vaccine for Lyme disease that may be recommended by your veterinarian if your dog lives in an area where Lyme disease is prevalent.
  • Spread Icon
    Transmission is not possible between animals and not possible between animals and people, however people and other animals can be affected by Lyme disease if they are bit by a tick with the bacteria.
  • Lab Icon
    Diagnosis requires physical exam, blood work
VERY COMMON IN
Any dog bit by an infected tick can develop Lyme disease. Although Lyme disease has been reported in every state, the northeast, Midwest and Pacific coast are where the disease is most prevalent.

Symptoms & Signs

Unlike humans, many dogs that are exposed to the disease will never develop symptoms. Those that are infected with Lyme disease and become symptomatic, may not show any symptoms for a two to five months after a bite from an infected tick. The most common symptoms are a fever , lameness, swelling in the joints, swollen lymph nodes, lethargy and loss of appetite. Although it is not common, some dogs can develop kidney disease which is difficult to treat and may result in death. It is recommended that a dog with a positive Lyme antibody test have additional blood tests and a urinalysis to assess kidney function. Some dogs may also develop heart problems or nervous system disease after being infected with B. burgdorferi, especially when treatment is delayed. Dogs do not develop the typical rash or the circular area of redness around the bite (erythema migrans) that is seen in people.

Diagnosis

Blood tests are available to assist in the diagnosis of Lyme disease. The standard blood test may detect antibodies made by the dog in response to infection with B. burgdorferi. Many dogs have positive test results but are not actually infected with the disease. These animals have been exposed to the organism and fought off the infection on their own. A single positive result means only that the dog was exposed to the bacteria. Test results must always be interpreted in combination with other information to obtain a correct diagnosis. Suspected animals should have a history of tick exposure, compatible clinical signs and a rapid response to antibiotic therapy. If an animal that is suspected of having Lyme disease does not clinically improve within 48 hours of starting antibiotic therapy, your vet may determine that it is not Lyme disease and pursue additional diagnostic tests.

Causation

A dog or person acquires Lyme disease through the bite of an infected nymph or adult tick. For a nymph to transmit B. burgdorferi, it must be attached to the pet or human for 48 hours. If a tick dies or is removed before 48 hours, transmission of the bacteria will not occur. Even if a tick is a carrier of *B. burgdorferi *and it attaches to a dog for more than 48 hours, the dog may not contract the disease. In fact, studies show that only 10 percent of dogs that are exposed to B. burgdorferi will contract the disease. There is no evidence to suggest that infected dogs pose a direct risk to other members of the household. If a tick falls off of a dog before it has completed its blood meal, it could attach to another animal or human in the area.

Lyme disease has been diagnosed in humans in all 50 states, though it is unknown if they acquired the disease after traveling to endemic areas (areas where the disease is consistently present). Tracking of the disease in humans has shown continued growth and increased reporting across the country and elsewhere in the world.

Treatments

icon AT-HOME CARE
Administer antibiotics and other medications as prescribed by your veterinarian.
icon SUPPORTIVE CARE
Acupuncture may be recommended by your veterinarian to alleviate joint pain in affected dogs.
icon MEDICATIONS
Treatment for Lyme disease is very straightforward and consists of using either a tetracycline or penicillin-based antibiotic. The two most commonly used antibiotics are doxycycline and amoxicillin. Antibiotics should be given as prescribed until completion, which is typically for a minimum of 14 days, but treatment for at least 30 days is recommended by many veterinarians. In some animals with severe arthritis, pain medications or other management may also be recommended by your veterinarian in addition to antibiotics. The use of steroids in this disease is contraindicated. While many medications are often administered for ‘off-label’ or 'extra-label' use in veterinary medicine, it is important to know that off- or extra- label use of a medication can only be done by a veterinarian when there are no other more appropriate medications for a particular pet's circumstances. Your veterinarian must also know all vitamins, supplements, medications etc. your pet is taking to help avoid complications. You must also be sure to follow all instructions provided by your vet carefully and consult your veterinarian with any questions or concerns if they arise.
icon SPECIALISTS
A general practice veterinarian can diagnose and manage most cases of Lyme disease. Difficult cases may be referred to a specialist in veterinary internal medicine.

Cost Of Treatment

Veterinary expenses can vary widely for various reasons, however, most cases of Lyme disease can be treated for under $500. A quality monthly tick preventative typically cost between $10 and $20 per month.

Recovery

If pets respond to antibiotics, they may clear symptoms of the infection after several weeks of treatment. It appears that many animals may never completely rid themselves of B. burgdorferi despite antibiotic treatment. These chronic carriers may not show any signs of disease.

Monitoring

Your veterinarian will determine how often your pet needs to be examined based on response to antibiotic therapy and the improvement of their symptoms. Blood work may also be necessary to make sure the secondary changes associated with infection are resolving.

Prevention

Dogs in endemic areas should be on a good-quality tick preventative as prescribed by your veterinarian. Discuss vaccination for Lyme disease with your veterinarian.

Questions about Lyme Disease

My dog I heated uses tampon is it an emergency

Unfortunately I'm having a little trouble understand your question as I'm not sure what you mean by "My dog I heated uses tampons..." I'm wondering if Bella ate a tampon or if you wanted to use one on her while she is in heat. I will answer both to be safe. If she ate a tampon, then yes this is a medical emergency and she has to see a vet now. Tampons can easily cause obstructions in the GI tract, especially since they are absorbent and can get large in the stomach from liquid in there. if Bella ate a tampon, you need to take her into a vet immediately to get it removed. If she is on heat, no you cannot use a tampon to control her bleeding. It's not safe to use at all, and are not meant for dogs. You can put a diaper on her to catch any bloody discharge. There are dog specific diapers online and at pets stores, or you can use one made of a human child. Just cut a hole in it for her tail. Hopefully this answers your question. If it doesn't, I'm sorry and ask you post again in the forum for free to it can get answered!

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My dog has an ear infection

Sorry to hear Marley isn't doing so well with his ears. It is not possible to tell from tge picture tve exact nature of the irritation but if it is indeed infected (typically red, hot, painful and smelly), he will need prescription medication from his regular vet. In the meantime I recommend gently cleaning tge outer war with cotton wool and a pet safe ear cleaner to reduce the build up of wax/discharge

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My dog vomited a pinkish colour. Does this look like blood vomit? She doesn’t have diarrhoea or anything else. Yesterday i fed her plain chicken with rice.

That is very red vomit, however, this color could be linked to a number of things including blood in the vomit, inflammation of the GI tract, having chewed on a toy this color, eaten a food item this color, or gotten into a plant or other item this color. If the vomiting continues, worsens, or other symptoms appear such as a painful or bloated abdomen, diarrhea or blood in the stool, or severe distress, I would schedule a veterinary appointment right away to rule out more severe issues. In the meantime I would continue the bland diet for 24 hours, and monitor for any additional vomiting or illness symptoms.

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My dog developed a red hairless bloody mass on her skull overnight. I don’t think she bumped her head on anything.

Poor Marley! Unfortunately there are a number of possible reasons for these raised nodules and a picture cannot diagnose the underlying cause. Itis not possible to distinguish between a wound from a bug bite, cyst, benign histiocytoma or even a tumour without a physical exam and possible testing by an aspirate taken by a needle during the exam or even removal and biopsy. I recommend you follow up with your regular vet, especially if it increases in size, is painful or persists.

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Hi my 5 year old dog has this on her nose ( saw it 4 days ago) and getting bigger. What could it be and is there anything I can do? Thank you.

Ouch! Any new or suddenly growing growth like this should be checked out by your vet in person ASAP. Allergies, infections, skin irritation from rubbing it on things, and some growths and tumors can all cause spots like that on the nose, and can also cause rapid changes and discoloration like this. Until you can get to your vet, I would place an Elizabethan (cone) collar on Amber and keep the spot clean and dry to help reduce any further irritation. It is also a good idea to monitor the size and shape of it and how rapidly it is changing as this can help your vet figure out what may be going on. Your vet will likely take a full history as well as a potential sample of the spot to see what cells are present and provide treatment as needed.

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My dogs are experiencing a bad flea outbreak. We used a generic for Frontline (fipronil) two weeks ago, with no results. I have purchased a generic for Advantix II (Imidacloprid, Permethrin, and Pyriproxyfen) and am wondering if I need to wait the full 4 weeks to use this, or if I can treat with the second medication now.

In severe outbreaks, 2 weeks between different drugs is ok. You will also need to use a household flea treatment in order to break the cycle, only 5% of the flea population are adults and actually present on pets, tge remaining 95% are eggs/large and will continue to hatch, develop and reinvest your pets. All in contact animals should be treated together and also given a tapeworm treatment because tapeworms are also transmitted by fleas

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Disclaimer

The information contained on this page is for educational purposes only. This medication should only be given under the advice of a veterinarian who has examined your pet under the laws applicable to your state of residence.