Are you the guardian of a dog? Do you take him to the field a lot and does he usually end the walk with ticks? Be careful and protect it well against them. It is better that you do not get them no matter how much we remove them shortly after arriving home, since ticks transmit many diseases. One of the most recently discovered diseases in dogs, and that is transmitted by ticks, is the disease called canine borreliosis, also known as Lyme disease. Read carefully this new article on our site to find out everything about Lyme disease in dogs, its symptoms and treatment
What is Lyme disease or canine borreliosis?
Canine Borreliosis disease, also known as Lyme disease, is caused by a bacterium, specifically a spirochete called Borrelia burdogferi, and It is transmitted by ticks of the genus Ixodes. This disease has been known in dogs since 1984 and was first diagnosed in Spain in 1992.
Canine Borreliosis causes various he alth problems but, in principle, if it is diagnosed early and the appropriate antibiotics are administered, it can be overcome the illness. The clinical picture that he presents includes, as we have already mentioned, several he alth problems, but mainly is associated with:
- Arthritis
- Joint deformation
- Carditis
- Nephritis
- Fever
Symptoms of Lyme Disease in Dogs
The symptoms usually appear two days after the bite of the bacteria, although in some cases it may. In this disease there are very broad symptoms and there may be dogs that do not show all of them. It may be that only some isolated symptom is manifested, such as lameness than the most common symptom, several of them or the majority.
These symptoms of Lyme disease in dogs are:
- Recurring limp: due to inflammation of the joints. Many times it lasts only a few days but after a few weeks it returns and so on. The lameness can always be in the same leg or change legs each time it occurs and even occur in more than one leg at a time.
- Arthritis and joint deformity.
- Fever, lack of appetite and depression: which usually stem from inflammation of the joints.
- Back arching: in addition to keeping it rigid.
- Tenderness to touch, muscle pain and joint pain along with adynamia: muscle weakness with generalized fatigue that may cause lack of movement or reaction.
- In the area where the tick bite occurred, there may be inflammation and/or irritation: accompanied by inflammation of the superficial lymph nodes around that area.
- Kidney problems: if not treated in time they can lead to nephritis or glomerulonephritis and end up in kidney failure that causes symptoms more common as vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, lack of appetite, increased thirst and urine and fluid buildup in the abdomen and in tissues, especially under the skin and on the feet.
- Carditis or inflammation of the heart: although infrequent and occurs in severe cases.
- Complications in the central nervous system: although it is less frequent and in severe cases.
Diagnosis of Lyme Disease in Dogs
When we go to the vet because one or more of the symptoms described above appear in our dog, we must explain in maximum detail what we observe what happens to our colleague
- What activities have been done recently whether or not they are a habit.
- Possible past he alth problems.
In addition to all the information, the veterinarian will need to perform tests on the dog to rule out or confirm possible causes of the symptoms. He should perform blood and urine testsas complete as possible
If the veterinarian considers it appropriate, he will perform other tests for diagnosis. For example, you might be interested in:
- Remove fluid from swollen joints for analysis.
- Do ultrasounds and X-rays.
The prognosis for this disease is good if it is diagnosed and acted upon promptly, it is reserved if it is a chronic case, and it is poor if the disease affects the heart, the central nervous system or to the kidneys, as long as it is not treated in time in the case of the kidneys.
Treatment of Lyme disease in dogs
Is there a cure for Lyme disease in dogs? Treatment for Canine Borreliosis depends on the organs and body parts affected and how advanced the disease is. First of all, antibiotics should be administered, also at home we should ensure that our friend makes little effort and that he is always warm and dry.
Antibiotics for Lyme disease in dogs recommended by our trusted veterinarian will be accompanied of some pain medication, but we should never administer an analgesic medication to our dog on our own, the type, dose and time of administration must always be prescribed by the specialist veterinarian.
The specialist veterinarian should try to avoid the administration and prescription of corticosteroids, since in this case there is a risk of the spread of Borrelia (Borrelia burdogferi).
Normally, with antibiotics, an improvement of the acute inflammation of the joints is observed within a few days. Still, general treatment should last at least one month. Although all this will depend on the severity of the disease.
You may be interested in taking a look at the following article on Antibiotics for dogs: types, doses and uses.
Prevention of borreliosis in dogs
The only prevention of Lyme disease in dogs in dogs is prevention of ticks Therefore, it is vital that we remember to apply the appropriate antiparasitic to our dog with the temporary guidelines indicated by our trusted veterinarian and in the format that best suits our faithful friend, whether they are pipettes, collars, etc.
It is very important that, even if we have up-to-date antiparasitic protection, every time we go out to areas such as the countryside, gardens, parks, etc., where there may be ticks, at the end of the walk or the excursion, let's check the whole body of our dog to make sure there are no ticks or other possible parasites on the skin of our furry companion.
If we find any, we must remove it with the utmost care and ensuring that no part of the tick remains attached to the skin of our dog. To do this, we must inform ourselves as best as possible about how to do it with the minimum risks. It is essential that ticks be removed the same day, because the longer they are on our pet, the more likely they are to become infected.
How to remove a tick from a dog? Discover the answer in the following article on our site that we recommend.
