Canine Lyme Disease

We live in an area where ticks abound!  Not all ticks carry the bacteria that causes Lyme Disease, but if you have a dog, then the subject of Lyme Disease in dogs should be of great concern to you, particularly because there are deer ticks in our area.

Deer ticks are the types of ticks that most commonly carry the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria which is the bacteria that causes Lyme Disease in dogs and also in humans. These ticks prefer to feed on deer (ticks, of course, being a parasite), but they will migrate to other animals, including dogs, and also to people. They're not too fussy!

In order to prevent, or minimise the likelihood of, Lyme Disease in your dog, therefore, there are a number of steps you can take:

1. Keep your dog away from tick infested areas as much as possible. Long grass often harbors ticks in areas that are tick prone, so stick to short grass when walking your dog. And keep your own backyard mowed, especially if you live near to bushland or fields that tend to have long grass.

2. Use a  preventative, as prevention products often discourage ticks fairly well, too.

3. Examine your dog for ticks regularly, and if you see any, remove them without delay.

And if all of this fails, and you suspect your dog may be developing Lyme Disease, get your dog immediately to your veterinarian. Lymes Disease develops VERY fast, and within two or three days your dog can go from showing the very first symptoms of Lyme Disease, to having permanent nerve damage and debilitating recurrent joint pain.