Ticks, Mice, and Dogs Are Not Friends

Canine Lyme disease is a serious illness which can cause problems in your dog’s kidneys, heart, and joints.  If left untreated, it could lead to damage of the nervous system, eventually leading to death.  Keep a keen lookout for lyme disease symptoms if you dog has been in forested, marshy areas.  The basic symptoms to look out for are tiredness, loss of appetite, and enlarged lymph nodes.  Lymph nodes on dogs can be found behind the legs and under the jaw.  These symptoms are preliminary, for a complete list read on.

Ticks carry this sickness, so anywhere ticks are present is a situation with an increased risk.  Regions in the USA to look out for are:  northern Mississipi, California, northeastern states, and the Deep South. The disease is actually a reaction to a bacteria that ticks carry.  Ticks get the disease from white-footed mice.  Borrelia burgdoferi bacteria cause this affliction in both dogs and humans.  If you feel you have this disease, contact your healthcare provider for more information.

For your dog to get canine Lyme disease, the tick must latch on for at least 24 hours.  This makes one think, “How can a dog not feel or see a foreign object on its body for 24 hours?”  The answer is that these ticks are very small, and oftentimes go unnoticed.  The full list of Lyme disease symptoms:

• Fever
• Lamesness
• Anorexia
• Myocarditis
• Lymphadenopathy
• Glomerulonephritis
• Inflammatory joint disease

If you think your dog may have this disease, contact your veterinarian.  Only a qualified professional can assess the exact problem.  A blood test will be taken to measure all vitamins, minerals, and red/white levels.  The blood will also be tested for antigens for Borrelia burgdorferia bacteria.  This blood test is not exact, because science has yet to come that far.  Your veterinarian will look at the test results, your dog’s symptoms, and reference material to draw a conclusion to whether or not your dog has Lyme disease.

Treatment is very simple, an antibiotic will be prescribed for your dog.  Owners need to give the antibiotic 3-4 times per day with every meal for 3-4 weeks.  This ensures the bacteria is killed and you dog is well.  A trip to your veterinarian after the treatment is recommended. Also, if you feel your dog is at risk for Lyme disease, it’s best to get a vaccination.  Do your research on this vaccine, because there have been cases where dog’s immune systems have reacted violently.  Consult your veterinarian as a best practices approach.

After reading this article in its entirety, you should have an understanding of canine Lyme disease and how it affects dogs.  Keeping yourself armed with information is important in providing the best healthcare and wellness for your dog.  Another critical step in ensuring your dog’s health is a good supplement.  Check out Peti Paaws for a free trial to a great anti-aging supplement.  Keeping your dog healthy and giving yourself peace of mind for free is a deal that cannot be beat!