It’s that time again. If the outside temperature is consistently above 8 degrees, the unwelcome ticks come out of their hiding places.
The arachnids carry pathogenic bacteria in their intestines – the Borrelia. You can transfer this when stitching.
Recognizing Lyme disease in dogs based on the symptoms is not so easy. Therefore, as a dog owner, you should be very careful after a tick bite.
The following article explains how to recognize Lyme disease in dogs based on the symptoms.
Lyme symptoms in dogs: what are the typical signs?
Borreliosis in dogs shows non-specific symptoms such as lethargy, refusal to feed and a slight fever.
If Lyme disease progresses in dogs, symptoms such as swollen lymph nodes, non-specific lameness, inflamed joints and organ diseases, especially the kidneys.
In rare cases, Lyme disease in dogs shows neurological symptoms such as paralysis and personality changes.
In the following we explain the symptoms in more detail so that you can recognize Lyme disease.
Interesting
You will find the typical blush, which is a clear sign of Lyme disease in humans not at the dog!
Fever, lethargy, refusal to feed
We summarize these non-specific Lyme symptoms for you. They always show if the dog is struggling with an infection.
These symptoms can usually show up quite quickly when your dog’s immune system is fighting the Borrelia and is having a hard time with it.
However, sometimes these symptoms may not appear until weeks or months later. This makes it difficult to associate these symptoms with the tick bite.
Good to know
Many dogs have already had contact with Borrelia in their lives. Your immune systems can handle these unwelcome bacteria right there frequently kill.
Swollen lymph nodes
Lyme disease in dogs shows this symptom when the immune system brings out heavy artillery.
The lymph nodes swell because they increases cells to combat of Borrelia produce.
Swelling of the lymph nodes occurs particularly near the sting site.
These lymph nodes can also become very painful and uncomfortable for the dog due to swelling.
lameness
The dog is limping. Then again not. In the case of Lyme disease in dogs, the symptom occurs when the Borrelia have already made themselves very comfortable in the dog.
The bacteria like to look for places where they can nest. The veterinarian also says that the Borrelia hide there.
The Borrelia prefer to stay in the nutritious synovial fluid and again and again cause the body’s defense reactions.
It is not uncommon for the veterinarian to suspect osteoarthritis rather than Lyme disease with this symptom.
Joint and organ inflammation
The Borrelia love places of retreat, especially when the Lyme disease is already chronic and is being fought by the body or medical treatment methods.
That’s how they solve spiral bacteria joint inflammation, but also heart, nerve or kidney inflammation.
Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers in particular are prone to these symptoms of Lyme disease.
This inflammation will come and go, much like lameness.
neurological symptoms
In addition to the joints, Borrelia feel very comfortable in nerve tracts. Much more common in humans than in dogs.
But occasionally there are neurological symptoms such as Lyme disease in dogs Paralysis or even personality changes.
Here, too, it is often very difficult for the veterinarian to draw conclusions about Lyme disease.
Mainly because the listed symptoms do not necessarily all appear together.
When should I go to the vet and what are the treatment options for Lyme disease?
ultimately are all symptoms Lyme disease in dogs is a reason to visit your veterinarian.
None of these should be taken lightly!
Because symptoms such as lethargy, fever and refusal to eat are also signs that something is definitely wrong.
If the tick bite is not too long ago, the connection to Lyme disease can be drawn quite quickly.
By the way: Ticks like the common wood tick transmit not only Lyme disease, but also anaplasmosis.
diagnosis
If there is a suspicion that the dog has been infected with Borrelia, the diagnosis can be made via a Antibody detection or a direct detection take place.
Antibody detection using ELISA or Western Blot can only be used to determine whether the dog has already actively dealt with Borrelia.
However, not whether the infection is active at this precise moment.
In the case of direct detection, skin tissue or synovial fluid is removed and tested for Borrelia.
If the test is positive, the veterinarian can definitely identify Lyme disease.
Treatment
If there is a fresh Lyme disease, this is also included antibiotics treated like doxycycline or amoxicillin.
The respective antibiotic must be given for 4 weeks without interruption and as quickly as possible.
Only then does the dog have a chance of completely combating Lyme disease.
In the case of Lyme disease in dogs, symptoms are treated concomitantly, for example with painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs.
Chronic Lyme disease
It is not uncommon for a late diagnosis of Lyme disease in dogs to become chronic. Symptoms and «Borreliosis flare-ups» come and go.
In this case it applies that Keep reducing the Borrelia count. Re-administration of antibiotics is most effective here.
Otherwise, damage to organs must be treated and reduced.
The best way to protect your dog from the chronic course of Lyme disease is to protect it adequately from tick bites.
Has your dog ever had Lyme disease? And how do you protect him from ticks? Tell us about your experiences.