Lyme Disease Prevention Month
Lyme disease is caused by the Borrelia burgdorferi which is transmitted by infected ticks.
One bite from a tick is all it takes! Dogs, cats, horses and even humans can be infected. Lyme disease is not always easy to diagnose, so prevention is key to make sure you and your pets stay healthy.
Understanding Signs and Symptoms
Lyme disease presents differently in dogs and humans. In people, about 90% show symptoms like fever, fatigue, and the characteristic bullseye rash. But in dogs, symptoms can be more subtle, and some may remain asymptomatic for months.
In dogs that fall ill, the symptoms of the disease typically show up 2-5 months after the dog has been infected. By the time the disease and dog are showing symptoms, the disease has spread throughout the body. When signs do emerge, they can include:
- Fever
- Intermittent limping or lameness
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Painful/ swollen joints
- Decrease activity
- Loss of appetite
One reaction you may see is the Bullseye Rash, also known as the “Erythema Migrans Rash”
How Lyme Disease is Spread
Humans and animals are infected after they are bitten by a blacklegged tick that is carrying the diseased bacteria.
Ticks are most commonly found in wooded, grassy, or marshy areas, especially near bodies of water. While Lyme disease isn’t spread directly from person to pet or vice versa, humans and animals share similar environments during outdoor activities like hiking and biking, putting both at risk.
Prevention is key, and there are several steps you can take to protect your pets:
Proper Tick Removal: If you find a tick attached, it’s essential to remove it properly. Use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick removal tool to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull straight out without twisting.
Tick Prevention Products: Use vet-approved tick preventatives for your dog or pet. These can include topical treatments, collars, or oral medications that repel ticks.
Tick Checks: After outdoor activities, check your pets (and yourself) for ticks. The sooner a tick is removed, the lower the risk of Lyme disease transmission.
Diagnoses and Treatment
Since there are other tick related diseases, and the fact that not all dogs show symptoms; it is hard to diagnose.
If Lyme disease is suspected in a pet, a blood test to detect antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi is often the first step. However, a positive test doesn’t always guarantee illness.
Your vet will consider your pet’s history, symptoms, and other tests before deciding on treatment.
The standard approach is a 30-day course of antibiotics, although more severe cases may require additional care, especially if kidney complications like Lyme nephritis are present.
Being vigilant during Lyme Disease Prevention Month and year-round can help keep both you and your pets safe from this preventable illness.
How to Properly Remove Tick
Provided below is information on how to properly remove & dispose of a tick that may have attached to your pets or you:
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/ticks-tick-borne-diseases/remove-tick.html
If you are looking to keep some tick twisters around the house or in your car, we sell them at the front desk at Furry Friends Pet Resort for $2.00. Please ask the front desk staff for more information.
https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/lyme-disease-dogs
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/lyme-disease.html