Lyme Disease

Over the last several years there has been an increase in the amount of awareness on Lyme disease in humans. The domestic species, including dogs, cats, horses, and cows can also become infected with Lyme disease. Currently, Illinois is not one of the "hot spots" for Lyme disease, however, several cases have been reported in this state. The remainder of this article will discuss the spread, signs, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of Lyme disease in animals.

Spread. Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, a small bacterial-like organism called a spirochete. This organism can be carried by deer ticks. When an infected tick attaches itself to a host to feed, the spirochete can be passed, thus 

causing disease. Lyme disease can also be passed from dog to dog via infected urine.

Signs. The signs seen in humans with Lyme disease are often times much more drastic than the signs that are seen in an infected dog. Signs may include any of the following: lameness of short or long-term duration, weakness, loss of appetite, fever, and sore or swollen joints. In some cases, the affected dog may suffer from lameness that switches from leg to leg. In addition, heart, kidney, and neurological signs may also result. 

Diagnosis. Due to the nature of the disease and oftentimes vague or nonexistent signs, diagnosis may be difficult. Currently, the best way to confirm the presence of Lyme disease is with a simple blood test. The test will determine if the animal has antibodies present in the blood for Lyme disease. A newer, in-house diagnostic test has become available allowing for rapid screening for Lyme disease without submission to an outside lab.

Treatment. Antibiotic therapy is necessary for the treatment of Lyme disease. Tetracyclines or ampicillin are the best antibiotics to use for Lyme disease in dogs. Affected dogs will generally respond very well within the first few days of treatment.

Prevention. The best way to protect animals from Lyme disease is to keep them tick-free. Regularly checking for and removing ticks is warranted when an animal is in a heavily wooded environment and/or spends a lot of time outside. A relatively new product called Frontline will kill and repel ticks for up to one month at a time. All you need to do is apply the medication to the skin between the shoulder blades. The makers of Frontline claim that monthly use of the product will prevent the transmission of Lyme disease. Revolution, another topical medication, can also kill the ticks that transmit Lyme disease. However, at this date, Pfizer does not have a label claim for the prevention of Lyme disease. There is also a vaccination for Lyme disease available. Vaccination is done twice initially and then annually after that.

The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to take the place of your regular veterinarian. Please do not hesitate to contact your regular veterinarian if you have questions regarding your pet.