Lyme Disease in Dogs

Treatment

Once diagnosed, Lyme disease can be treated. Physicians can determine if an individual has been infected by the Lyme disease organism using a simple blood test; however, some people test negative but have the disease. The CDC warns against unproven tests and it is advised to check for proper testing procedures.

Infection can be treated by taking certain antibiotics. However, no immunity is conferred from infection so a person could get Lyme disease again from another infected tick.

Pets and other animals can contract Lyme disease as well, exhibiting symptoms similar to those in humans. Veterinarians can test for Lyme disease in pets and domestic animals exhibiting suspicious signs of arthritis (in younger animals), heart problems, or neurological signs.

Prevention

The best prevention against Lyme disease is to avoid being bitten by ticks. Individuals who spend a lot of time outdoors should be aware of the danger and make it a habit to regularly check their bodies for ticks. The tick requires time to attach itself and begin feeding. It is possible to remove ticks before they are able to transmit the disease. Ticks should be grasped with tweezers at the point where their mouthparts enter the skin and pulled straight out with firm pressure. Immature ticks are small and difficult to detect; often they appear as a freckle or mole.

1. Stay out of dense undergrowth unless absolutely necessary. Walk on closely mowed grass or paved walkways whenever possible.
2. Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants tucked into socks. Light-colored clothes make ticks more visible and easier to pick off.
3. Apply tick repellent to socks and shoes to prevent ticks from crawling onto clothing.
4. Inspect yourself and others thoroughly after walking through areas suspected of being infested with ticks.
5. When taking children on nature outings, keep them in a group with a leader who knows to avoid tick infested areas and can inspect them for ticks.
6. See a doctor if Lyme disease symptoms appear.
7. A Lyme disease vaccine was withdrawn from the market, reportedly due to poor sales.

Control

Recommendations for control of ticks include:

1. Keep grass cut low to prevent ticks from developing.
2. Discourage wild animals (raccoons, skunks, deer, mice, etc.) from coming around your yard. They often harbor the ticks which transmit Lyme disease.
3. Area treatment with insecticides is not warranted in most cases. However, in some situations it might be appropriate to use insecticides for control of ticks.