Canine Lyme Disease: Your Dog Is Never Safe!
Lyme disease is one of the most common tick-borne diseases that makes canine suffer across Australian subcontinent. It is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria. These disease-causing bacteria are transmitted through a tick bite. Deer ticks, also known as black-legged ticks in particular, are the tick-types that primarily transmit Lyme disease in dogs.
Deer ticks (Black-legged ticks) do not cause Lyme disease. They carry the disease-causing bacteria and transmit these bacteria in dogs as well as to humans and cause the illness. Now, read that again.
Is your dog at a threat?
The simple answer to this question is, Yes! At least for as long as these blood-sucking parasites don’t relocate to Mars.
What is worrying for dog parents about Lyme disease is,
Only 6-10% of infected dogs show signs of the illness; hence it gets difficult to recognize the disease when it is at its least potential. So, as a guardian, there’s no room to relax, especially, if your area is one of the hotspots for ticks. Some of the tick-prone areas in Australia include,
- Victoria
- Queensland
- A few suburbs of New South Wales (NSW)
- Some regions of Western Australia (WA)
On the contrary
Living in far-away places from tick-prone locations doesn’t immune your dog. Ticks, or any other parasites for that matter, are not bounded by any boundaries. We invite these parasites or carry them along when we travel to pro-tick places, and thus they find their way to our loved animals. You are never sure about the safety of your animal and are always at risk of infection.
Not all ticks carry bacteria that cause disease.
Statistics show that almost 50% of ticks carry disease-causing bacteria including Borrelia burgdorferi, responsible for causing Lyme disease.
A famous quote says,
‘If you know the enemy, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles’.
As a loving and caring dog parent, knowing the illness along with methods to deal with it, is an effective way out. Let’s try to know more about this illness then.
Signs of Lyme disease
Symptoms of Lyme disease in dogs do not surface right away. Sometimes it takes months before your dog shows signs of illness. As a guardian, you need to be watchful of the disease characteristics mentioned below:
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Vomiting
- Swollen joints
- Limping and difficulty in walking
Diagnosis
Lyme disease in dogs can be detected with collective information on the complete history of dog illness, featured symptoms, and of course, the investigations. To minimize the damage, consult a veterinarian soon as you notice any disease-related signs or even when you suspect of the illness. The vet may suggest some laboratory investigations to confirm the disease.
Treatment
- Once your dog is diagnosed with Lyme disease, the veterinarian may start with antibiotic treatment. Additionally, your dog may be prescribed anti-inflammatory treatments as well to provide the symptomatic relief.
- The longevity of Lyme disease treatment differs from dog to dog and severity of the illness.
Prevention
- The best way to save your canines from Lyme disease is, keep them away from pro-tick areas.
- Examine your dog’s skin and coat thoroughly on a regular basis for live ticks and remove the insect right away if you find any.
- Flea and tick preventive treatment is a perfect solution to keep the disease away from canines. Check with your vet to get the prescription for a suitable treatment for your pet. VetSupply.com.au carries a range of high-quality flea & tick treatment brands at affordable prices. Check out the online store to know more.
Conclusion
In the case of Lyme disease or any other ailment, the real disease is fear. If you keep your head in the right place and throw the fear away, the disease will go. Educate yourself and execute befitting methods. More often than not, you’ll conquer any disorder.
