What are the symptoms of Lyme disease in dogs?
Due to the absence of a rash, Lyme disease in dogs is frequently harder to diagnose than it is in humans. Dogs don’t get the recognizable “bullseye” rash that humans typically get around the site of the tick bite that caused the infection. Instead, behavioral cues are used to identify canine Lyme disease.
Those symptoms include:
While tick bites are the cause of Lyme disease, the development of symptoms takes place much later than the initial bite. Your dog may not show symptoms of Lyme disease until two to five months after being infected. The signs of Lyme disease in dogs can also bear similarities to the symptoms of other health conditions. For this reason, its crucial that dog owners seek out a veterinary diagnosis if they suspect their pet has canine Lyme disease.
Can Lyme disease also affect people?
Yes, but people do not get it directly from dogs. They contract it after being bitten by ticks that also spread it to dogs. Therefore, protecting yourself and your dog from tick exposure is crucial.
What Should I Do if I Find Ticks on my Dog?
Removing the ticks within 24-36 hours will usually prevent infection. Grab the head with tweezers as closely to your pet’s skin as you can, then pull it out completely. Disinfect the area with alcohol or hand sanitizer after washing it with soap and water.
If at all possible, keep the tick in a Ziploc bag and note roughly when you were bitten. Contact our staff at the Cabbagetown Pet Clinic if symptoms arise.
FAQ
How fast does Lyme disease progress in dogs?
Lyme disease is brought on by tick bites, but symptoms don’t appear until much later than the initial bite. When infected, your dog might not exhibit Lyme disease symptoms for two to five months.
How long can Lyme disease go undiagnosed?
One of the only reliable ways to determine whether or not you have Lyme disease is through a lab test, but is it possible to have the condition without being aware of it? This means that if symptoms are not noticed, it is possible to go weeks, months, or even years without realizing that you have the disease.
How long can Lyme disease lay dormant in dogs?
After being bitten by an infected tick for weeks or months, dogs may not exhibit any symptoms of illness; in fact, many infected dogs never do. Fortunately, there are tests that can determine whether a dog has an infection, though some tests can take up to nine weeks to produce a positive result.
What are the 3 stages of Lyme disease in dogs?
- Localized: This phase happens a few days after the tick bite.
- Disseminated: This stage occurs within weeks of a tick bite.
- enduring: A late infection may manifest months or years after the initial tick bite.