Menu
Living in New Jersey, most of our clientele have some experience with Lyme disease. Many of them don’t realize, though, that it can also affect their pets. Canine lyme disease is a real diagnosis, and with the help of True Care Veterinary Hospital, one you won’t miss!
Lyme Disease in Dogs
Ticks may be our least favorite animal. These blood-sucking parasites can be hard to detect when they decide to hitch a ride, and they can transmit quite a few different diseases to the mammals they feed on. Unfortunately, dogs are not exempt from these.
On the East coast, lyme disease tends to be the most prevalent tick-borne disease that we diagnose. Found in the digestive tract of the deer tick, the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferii can cause illness that occurs several weeks to months after the initial tick bite.
Lyme disease symptoms in dogs can be a little vague but often include:
- A fever (may come and go)
- Depression/lethargy
- Decreased willingness to move
- Swollen and/or painful joints
- Lymph node enlargement
- Blood clotting problems
Lyme infection in dogs can also cause serious kidney disease that can be irreversible if not detected quickly.
Luckily, when detected early, most cases of lyme in dogs respond well to a course of antibiotics. Routine screening during wellness care appointments can help us detect lyme and other tick-borne diseases sooner.
Lyme Prevention Prevails
For our pets, preventing disease where possible is the way to go. When it comes to canine lyme disease prevention and tick control, do your part by:
- Keeping your pet on a quality tick prevention: There are many great options available to help prevent and control ticks. While nothing kills on contact, many monthly preventions kill or cause tick detachment before the transmission of lyme disease can occur.
- Considering vaccination: Pets with a high exposure risk may benefit from vaccination against lyme disease. Please contact us if you have questions about whether this is right for your pet.
- Using your smarts: When possible, it is ideal to avoid areas where ticks are likely to be found. Tall grasses and wooded areas that deer frequent are prime tick territory. Try to stay on cleared paths and, if you have been spending time outdoors, check your pet for ticks and remove them if found.
We can’t rid the East coast of its tick population, but we can curb the transmission of tick-borne disease. Together we can help keep ticks at bay and find and treat canine lyme disease earlier than ever, minimizing the impact of this potentially awful disease.