Lyme Disease In Dogs

Is your dog losing weight although you are keeping feeding it?
Do you find that your dog hind legs are stiff?

The weather is getting wormer and your pet spends more time in the fields. Your pet is susceptible to dangers. Being alert for ticks that spread diseases is vital. Tick bites are harmful to your dog and your well-being. Wooded areas might be unsafe to your pet.

Dogs from New York City were found with Lyme disease. Dogs have picked it up in Central Park on a walk. Your dog could bring infected ticks into your yard or house. Therefore, dog owners should safeguard the health of their families and their pets by being aware about tick control.

Birds are central carriers as they transmit ticks and spirochetes to far away areas. Lyme disease isn't such a problem for cats as cats are most fastidious in their clean-up and grooming.

Some of the veterinarians and pet owners observed Lymes disease symptoms in cats, dogs, goats, cattle, sheep, and horses. Therefore, it becomes vital to avoid tick bites and receiving punctual treatment for Lyme disease.

In some cases, human contracted Lyme disease from a tick a dog carried into their home.

Lyme disease is not transferred directly from dogs to a person. However, any pet can serve as a reservoir for the infective organism, Borrelia burgdorferi. Pets that are infected develop high numbers of the organism in their blood streams to infect ticks that bite them. In this way, if a household dog has Lyme disease, it would seem to increase the risk to the humans in the household, since the dog could infect a tick, then attach to a person, then attach to a person, and pass the infection on. So, it's important to try keeping ticks off the dog, and checking your dog.

Lyme disease does affect each dog different as it does with humans.
Some of the symptoms are similar as in humans; but symptoms in dogs are much more difficult to preserve. Once infected, a rash often forms. However, usually we cannot see the rash as it is under the dog's fur. Dog owners must look for other symptoms.

In many dogs, the Lyme disease symptoms will not appear for several months after infection.

Lyme disease symptoms in dogs:
1. Most of the dogs that are affected with Lyme disease seem to be in pain. They are showing lameness signs for several days. The affected organ is getting swollen and causing muscles pains. Due to pains, the dog might refuse to walk up. Your dog may be lethargic, showing tiredness signs. Lameness even if untreated it can disappear but can reappear later on.
2. High fever range - between 103F - 105F
3. Infected dogs suffer from vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration.
4. Dogs are showing lack of appetite. Many dogs that affected with Lyme disease actually stop eating.
5. If not treated on time, Lyme disease tick bites may harm the nervous system, heart, eyes, and kidneys.

Being alert for tick bites that spread diseases is vital. Tick bites are harmful to your dog and family's wellbeing. Wooded areas might be unsafe to your pet.

The best way to ensure that your dog does not catch with Lyme disease is in the prevention. Always groom your dog after they have been outdoors and around where ticks live: high grass, thick brush, or in the woods. You will find more information of protective measures against tick bites here.