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How to
prevent Lyme disease in dogs
Lyme disease is a bacterial illness often spread through the bite of the black-legged tick . A bacterium known as borrelia burgdorferi is carried inside a tick and can be transmitted from the tick ’ s saliva into the bloodstream of an animal host , whether that host be a person , pet or wild animal .
Though it is often transmitted to humans , Lyme disease is less common in dogs , even after they ’ ve been bitten by an infected tick . A report published in the Journal of Veterinary Medicine found Lyme disease causes clinical symptoms in only 5 percent of dogs who are affected with the disease . Lameness , joint swelling , arthritis , depression , weight loss , and other appetite issues are noted as the most common symptoms .
No matter how large or small the risk for dogs acquiring Lyme disease may be , pet owners can employ various measures to prevent the illness from affecting their companion animals .
• Use a tick preventative . The Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention say that pet owners should speak with their veterinarians about the best tick prevention products for their dogs . Most are broken down into two classes : topical and oral . Topical tick preventatives are liquids placed on the skin or chemicals embedded in special collars . Oral medications are consumed and absorbed by the pet . There are pros and cons to both types , which warrants an honest discussion with a pet professional .
• Stick to trails . When walking dogs , keep to clearly identified and cleared trails and try to avoid tick-infested spots . Ticks are found in sandy , wooded and grassy areas . They find their way onto animals by detecting approaching motion and then crawling or dropping on to people or animals . Also , keep home yards mowed to cut down on tall grasses where ticks can hide .
• Physically remove ticks . Inspect dogs when they come inside from the yard or after walks in parks and elsewhere . Remove any ticks that you can find . Some may be quite small and hard to detect .
Carefully remove embedded ticks to keep the tick ’ s mouth parts intact .
• Vaccinate against Lyme disease .
Veterinarians offer Lyme disease vaccinations for dogs that are administered yearly . Should an infected tick bite the dog , a vaccinated animal will be less likely to contract Lyme disease . VCA Animal Hospitals says vaccination is recommended for pets who live in endemic areas or travel to areas where Lyme disease is prevalent .
• Schedule wellness visits that include Lyme testing . Annual vaccines are
necessary to maintain immunity to Lyme disease . Vets often will conduct blood tests to check for the presence of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses during wellness visits . Should Lyme disease be present , an antibiotic , typically doxycycline , will be prescribed .
Lyme disease affects all types of animals . To keep dogs safe , pet owners can embrace a mix of preventative measures , including physical inspection , lifestyle changes and vaccination . n
92 Summer 2023 | Thomasville Scene