Symptoms of Lyme Disease in Dogs

Lyme disease is something that can affect both humans and animals. It can be a very serious condition, so it is important to be aware of the symptoms of this disease in dogs, if you have such a pet. This disease is something that is commonly caused by ticks. When a tick bites a dog, a type of bacteria known as borellia burgdorferi can be passed to the dog. This type of bacteria is most often passed by small deer ticks.

Lyme disease can be spread in just about every state, although some states are at greater risk than others. When a dog is infected by Lyme disease, it is not always apparent. First, they may act very normal. The first sign is lethargy. Next, dogs may actually start to feel pain in their joints which may affect the way in which they move around.

Dogs may begin to limp with one of their legs. This is very common. Other common signs include fever and swollen lymph nodes. When Lyme disease is detected early, this can help to prevent a lot of more severe symptoms. The most common treatment option is an antibiotic medication known as tertracycline. The good news is that when this medication is used to treat the disease, it is usually very effective.

Dogs may sometimes have these symptoms even if they are not infected with the bacterium causing Lyme disease. If they have these symptoms, they could be infected with something else. If you have suspicions of Lyme disease in your dog, you will want to take your pet to the vet and have it examined. The vet can run blood tests to confirm it or rule it out.

If your dog has been diagnosed with Lyme disease and the treatment has already started, you may want to consider giving them some painkillers to help them feel more comfortable. You vet will advise what is safe. After all, Lyme disease can be very painful for dogs. A common misconception is that when dogs get Lyme disease and overcome it, they are unable to get it again. This is not true. They can definitely get it again one day.

As you can see, lime disease can affect dogs in a very negative way. The key thing is to ensure early detection and early treatment if you want your dog to get a full recovery from the disease. There are many other diseases that commonly affect dogs as well. Make sure that you take a look at the symptoms of the most common diseases so that you can recognize them if you see them.