Canine Lyme Disease

" Canine Lyme disease is caused by infected ticks that attach to a dog for several days while feeding. The disease causes symptoms such as joint inflammation (polyarthritis). The bitten dog limb is the first to show symptoms such as as lameness. Laboratory SNAP or ELISA tests are used to see if a dog has been exposed. Dogs that test positive, but show no symptoms, are not treated for the condition. 95% of exposed dogs do not show any dog lyme disease symptoms. If a dog shows symptoms, the prescription medication Doxycycline is used for 1 month. Dogs with canine lyme disease can start to show improvement in 1 to 2 days. "

Dealing with canine lyme disease is not one of my most pleasant experiences. But with the risk of disease and infection it is important to look for ticks daily and to quickly remove them.

Towsushet Breeding/boarding kennel here in the U.K. was recently quarantined by DEFRA shortly before their closure following an outbreak of Lymes Disease.

There are many effective ways for lyme disease dog treatment, tick removal, and prevention including lyme disease vaccines .

Lyme disease in dogs is caused by a bacterium that is carried by ticks. They attach to your dog and feed on its blood until the tick becomes enlarged. Ticks can cause local irritation, infections and Lyme disease.

Tick season tends to be highest in the spring and autumn. To survive at each stage of their life cycle, a tick needs to attach itself to a host such as a deer (their favorite), a dog or a person. When they get their fill of blood they drop off until it is feeding time again. This is why ticks cannot be passed from one dog or person to another, but a dog can pick up a tick in one area and cause an infestation in another, including your home (not the most pleasant thought).

Ticks looks for the thinnest skin on the dog so they tend to attach themselves to the face, ears and abdomen. Ticks are difficult to remove because once they attach themselves they release a substance that glues their body to your dog. This is why the when removing a tick it is difficult to remove the body and the deeply attached head.

Dogs outside of high-risk regions have a 1% chance of getting the disease and are generally not given the Lyme Disease canine vaccine. Only 5% of dogs in a high-risk area show any symptoms with 80% of dogs showing Lyme disease bacterium (called B. Burgdorferi). Note that it is not clear if in the long term being infected with no symptoms is a problem later in your dogs life - such as future joint problems.

What a Tick Looks Like

A tick that just attached itself to your dog will look like a small gray dot on the skin of the dog. As the tick grows it looks like a mark that just happens to appear such as a mole. The tick will attach itself for 5 to 7 days. You can tell it is a tick by the scales at its hind legs. As the tick drinks the dog’s blood it gets enlarged. When the tick is done drinking, it will fall off, consume the blood it drank, and then look for a new host such as another animal or person.

Picture of Tick That Spreads Lyme Disease
(Called Deer Tick or Black Legged Tick)

It is important to distinguish between the Black Legged Tick and the Dog Tick. The Black Legged Tick carries lyme disease and can attach to both humans and dogs. The Dog Tick, (also called a wood tick), prefers to attach to dogs and DOES NOT carry lyme disease. Pictures of both types of ticks are below:

Comparison Between Ticks
Nymph (baby ticks) to Engorged Female After Blood Meal
Dog Lyme Disease Causing Black Legged Tick (top row) and
Dog Tick Commonly Found on Dogs But Does Not Cause Lyme Disease in Dogs (bottom row)

Riskiest Areas to Contract Lyme Disease Dog

Symptoms of Lyme Disease Dog

Symptoms usually appear 2 – 5 months after your dog is infected. 95% of dogs that are exposed do not show any symptoms.

If your dog shows any of the following symptoms, they may be been bitten by a tick:

• · Fever (some dogs do not develop a fever)
• · Loss of Appetite
• · Pain in the legs or body
• · Arthritis or joint swelling
• · Lethargic behavior
• · Depression
• · Cough
• · Enlargement of the lymph nodes (deer ticks)

• Symptoms such as heart disease, renal issues, seizures and aggressive behavior are extremely rare.

Diagnosis of Canine Lyme Disease
Blood tests are not particularly helpful in determining if your dog has Lyme disease as there may not be any change in the standard readings.

Instead your Vet will use a four step checklist to make a determination including:

• Has your dog had Lyme disease or a tick bite before
• Symptoms
• Responds to Anti-biotic
• Serology Test (test of the fluid portion of blood for antibody content. Antibodies are your dogs way of fighting foreign cells such as bacteria)

• Other diseases that look like Lyme include bacterial endocarditis rheumatoid, infectious or immune-mediated arthritis (lupus erythmatosis), osteopathies, degenerative joint diseases, and ehrlichiosis.

Dog Lyme Disease Test
The Serology test looks for enzymes in the blood associated with Lyme disease. The problem is that there are two types of vaccines (whole cell/killed Lyme or subunit). The ELISA test can tell if your dog has the disease only if it has not been vaccinated or it if had the subunit vaccine. If your pet had the whole cell the test cannot tell if your dog has the disease or a reaction to the vaccination itself.

A newer test called the Canine SNAP 3Dx or the C6 SNAP test. It is done in your Vet and if positive a follow-up test is done and sent to a lab to confirm the findings.

Dog Lyme Disease Treatment
Canine Lyme disease treatment is with the antibiotic Doxycycline, which is prescribed for 1 month. Longer treatment may be necessary for dogs suffering from kidney disease or inflammation. You should see improvement in your dog 1 to 2 days after treatment begins.

Canine Lyme Disease Vaccine

Vaccines are one possible approach for avoiding future cases of Lyme disease. However, not every vet is in agreement as to whether or not they are necessary, even in areas with a high incidence of Lyme. Those that support the Lyme vaccine believe that it has no side effects and will prevent a dog from from problems that can be caused by Lyme such as arthritis and swollen joints.

Those veterinarians that are opposed to recommending a Lyme vaccine for dogs believe that most dogs have minor symptoms that can be easily treated with antibiotics. They prefer to recommend over the counter dog tick medications that can keep ticks from remaining on your dog.

Dog Tick Prevention
Dog tick prevention and medication can be effectively accomplished with the purchase of a collar or topical treatment. These will cause ticks that are already on your dog to fall off.

Other approaches such as shampoos and sprays can provide an extra level of protection.

Remove Ticks Dog
When removing a tick from a dog be sure to grasp the tick by the head and pull firmly straight from the dog. Dispose of the tick in a clear sealed container and save the tick in case it needs to be tested for Lyme or other tick borne diseases.

You are at the vets and the diagnosis is Addisons disease. Don’t panic. Although serious, this disease can be treated and your dog can return to normal activity.

Remove Ticks

"Remove ticks should be done within 24 hours to prevent the spread of bacterial or parasite infection from the tick to the dog. If many ticks are on your dog, use a collar immediately. For a few ticks, remove each one with tweezers. Clean the area around the tick with a disinfectant such as hydrogen peroxide before and after removal."
 

To remove a tick from a dog, follow these easy steps. It is a simple procedure that when done quickly (before 24 hours go by), can prevent infection from spreading to your dog. Even if the tick is attached longer, the odds of infection are small.

Remove Ticks - Instructions

To remove a few ticks from a dog you will need:

• · Cotton balls
• · Tweezers or a removal tool
• · Small clear container that can be sealed.
• · Skin Disinfectant such as hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol or an antibiotic ointment.
• · Gloves such as latex kitchen gloves

• Step 1: Put on the gloves and soak the cotton balls with hydrogen peroxide. Wipe around the area where the tick is located to keep any bacteria that is outside the bite area from entering the area where you remove the tick. Write down the time and date you are removing the tick for future reference by a vet if needed.

Step 2: Using tweezers that have a thin end or a commercial tick removal tool, grasp the tick at the head and pull at a 90 degree angle (straight out) from the body. Press against the skin of your dog, but don't pinch the skin. Don't squeeze the tick so hard that fluid can escape from the tick. The tick should come right off.

If the head is buried deep into the skin, it may not come of when you pull. If you can't easily remove it, leave it in place. A small red bump may form over it which will go away in 2 to 3 days. Place the tick into a clear container.

Picture of Tick Removal (Source: CDC)

Step 3: Clean the Area where the tick was removed with the ointment or hydrogen peroxide. Keep an eye on the area to ensure that it doesn't become infected.

Remove Ticks - When There are Many Ticks

If your dog is outdoors and is covered with multiple ticks, considering using a PREVENTIVE collar. It will kill and detach ticks as well as STERILISE fleas and kills flea eggs for three months. Effective within 24 hours and continues to actively kill for three months as long as the collar is worn. The only problem is that you'll have to continually clean your dog's bedding and vacuum the area to ensure that the dead ticks are picked up.

With the collar you may also want added protection of a spray such as Frontline Spray or a shampoo designed to kill and repel ticks. Products can be used in combination, however, you should check the labels to make sure each is compatible with the other.

As an alternative to remove ticks dog, you can buy a dip. A dip is messy to use and creates toxic fumes. You can purchase one to use at home or have this done at your vets surgery

Preventing Ticks

If you dog only stays around your property, then the key to tick prevention is to remove tick food, which is small and large mammals. This includes everything from deer (which is why they are called deer ticks) to small mammals such as mice. While fences can be used to keep deer way, mice are a bit trickier.

You can also help prevent ticks by keeping your yard/garden free of tall grass and debris where ticks might hide. Ticks prefer being on higher ground to make it easier to jump onto a host. It is harder for a tick to jump on your dog if the grass is cut low to the ground, plus they prefer to stay out this type of area.

You can also protect your dog before she goes outside. This can be accomplished with products such as Frontline Plus &, Frontline Spray and other products that contain ingredients such as pyrethrins, permethrin or D-limonene.

Tick Borne Illness Symptoms and Treatment

The symptoms associated with tick borne illnesses such as lyme disease are different in dogs than humans. The most common symptoms is the appearance of arthritis due to swollen joints. You may notice lameness in one leg, usually near the site where the tick attached itself. Other symptoms include fever, avoidance of food and diarrhoea.

Once treated with antibiotics, your dog should start to respond in 1 day.

References for Remove Ticks Dog:

The Dog Health Handbook