How To Protect Your Dog From Canine Lyme Disease

Canine Lyme disease, if diagnosed in the early stages, can be treated effectively. The treatment of Lyme disease in dogs is essential in order to prevent severe health complications.

Canine Lyme Disease can lead to serious and even deadly medical conditions in dogs. For a Deer tick to infect a dog, it must be attached and or embedded in the dog’s skin for 48 hours. Canine Lyme disease is a tick-borne disease that develops in dogs. The disease is caused by Borrelia Burgdorferi, a type of bacteria known as a spirochete.

Dogs are usually not treated for this condition if symptoms are mild. If treatment is required, then the drug Imizol, Azithromycin or a type of steroid is used depending on the type of parasite your dog is suffering from. Dogs which are likely to become infested with ticks are candidates to be vaccinated against Lyme disease.

Dog owners should discuss their dog’s potential risk with their veterinarian to reach a decision as to whether vaccination is appropriate for a particular animal as a means of preventing Lyme disease. Dogs contract Lyme disease only from deer tick bites.

Infected dogs do not transmit the disease to humans. For both canines and humans, the illness is treated by antibiotic medication. Infected dogs also often exhibit depression, lethargy and loss of appetite.

Fever may or may not be present, however, one or more affected areas in the joints are often swollen, hot and painful upon examination. Infected ticks can also spread Lyme disease to people.