Lyme disease in dogs: How vaccination protects against tick-borne disease
As soon as temperatures reach the 8-degree mark, →ticks are back on the prowl and often carry plenty of transmissible diseases with them. Just like us humans, dogs can also catch Lyme disease from a tick bite or sting . The tricky part is that the disease does not always show up immediately, often progresses slowly, and can also lead to long-term effects in your dog. Find out everything about the symptoms, treatment options and how you can protect your dog with a Lyme disease vaccination.
What is Lyme disease in dogs and how at risk is my four-legged friend?
Borrelia are bacteria that are transmitted by various types of ticks and enter your dog's body when the tick bites into your dog's skin and starts to suck blood. As spiral-shaped bacteria (spirochetes) they spread rapidly throughout the body and have one main target: the joints and later also the organs. Transmission does not begin immediately once the tick has latched on. Only after a window of 16 to 24 hours is there a risk that Borrelia are transmitted.
Caught! A tick that is quickly removed usually doesn't have time to infect your dog with Lyme disease, as around 24 hours must pass since the bite.
Once Borrelia have been transmitted, your dog's body starts to produce antibodies. However, detecting these does not necessarily mean that your dog is actually ill with it because not every infection leads to illness with symptoms. It is also possible for Borrelia to be deposited in the skin and tissue, from where they can become active even years later and cause illness.
But does that mean every tick potentially transmits Borrelia? Good news: No, the transmission rate depends on the region, where you are out and about with your dog. Especially in southern Germany your dog is at risk of encountering a tick carrying the pathogen. But areas like the eastern parts of Saxony are also full of these pests.
Symptoms of Lyme disease in dogs
You suspect that your dog has been infected with Lyme disease through a tick bite because you removed an engorged tick or your dog is behaving differently than usual? Dogs rarely show symptoms immediately after transmission. Some infections are silent or only show signs after 2 months or more. In fact, only about 5-10% of dogs bitten by an infected tick actually develop symptoms. These include:
Lethargy
swollen lymph nodes
Movement problems due to affected joints
mild redness of the skin around the bite site (rare)
Unfortunately, the symptoms are not always specific. In particular, fever and lethargy can also indicate →anaplasmosis in dogs which is also transmitted by ticks.
The symptoms of Lyme disease are non-specific. Nevertheless, it is important that you have your dog tested for the pathogen if you notice signs such as fever or joint problems.
Diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease in dogs
For diagnosis, the Lyme disease test is carried out in the lab, to make sure that the disease is actually present. A diagnosis can be made if your dog's blood shows antibodies against Borrelia. However, this only shows that your dog has at some point in its life been infected with Lyme disease caught it - it does not necessarily mean there is an active disease.
If your four-legged friend does show symptoms, veterinarians assume that your dog was only recently infected and that the disease has broken out. The appropriate measure is usually antibiotics (e.g. doxycycline) administered over a longer period of about 4 weeks. Borrelia are tricky creatures that tend to spread again in the body if the antibiotic is stopped too soon is. When it comes to treatment success: The earlier Lyme disease is detected, the better the chances of recovery.
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Prevention: Vaccinating dogs against Lyme disease
A good prevention against Lyme disease in dogs is essential, to protect your pet in the long term. Here are some things you can do:
Tick removal: Don't just grab the pests by the head with tweezers to remove them. It's important to →remove the tick from your dog properly using a tick remover or card.
Use tick repellents: Whether spot-on, tick collar, or tablets, there are →suitable products that effectively help against ticks and protect your dog.
Checking for ticks: After every walk outdoors, you should during tick season carefully check your dog for bloodsuckers. Ticks found early have little chance of transmitting Borrelia to your dog.
Is vaccination the solution against Lyme disease in dogs?
Unlike for humans, there is a vaccine against Lyme disease for dogs. According to the Standing Vaccination Committee (StiKo) the vaccination is recommended for those dogs that spend a lot of time outdoors and also live in a risk area for the pathogen.
If a vaccinated dog is infected with Lyme disease by a tick, the antibodies produced by the vaccine protect it and thus prevent the disease in many cases. Since every dog produces a different amount of antibodies, the vaccine does not provide 100% protection and prevention with tick repellents is always important. Before vaccination, it is also necessary to use a rapid test to ensure that antibodies are not already present.
A vaccination is especially recommended if your dog is a true nature lover and you live in an area like Bavaria or Saxon Switzerland.
Lyme disease and long-term effects: What can my dog expect?
A common long-term effect when dogs are infected with Lyme disease is kidney inflammation. Especially if the pathogen remains undetected in your dog's body for a long time, later on the organs can also be affected. If the pathogens have already been deposited in the skin and tissue, it is unlikely to completely eliminate them with antibiotics. Dogs often then have to live with chronic Lyme disease which is treated whenever flare-ups with movement problems occur.
Since Lyme disease affects the nervous system, in rare cases the disease can also be fatal for dogs. A thorough prevention and reliable tick protection is therefore essential for your dog.
