Lyme Disease

Ticks cause a host of illnesses, including Lyme disease, which affects dogs and people alike. A bite from an infected tick can mean tiredness, fever, joint pain, and loss of appetite. Antibiotics generally provide relief from Lyme disease, but relapses can occur. Spot-on tick-control products can kill or repel ticks that carry Lyme disease, as can some tick collars. There is a Lyme disease vaccine for dogs, but it’s not always part of a dog’s routine vaccination protocol. Lyme disease is one of a number of frustratingly common tick-borne diseases that are regarded by both veterinarians and human physicians as stubborn, insidious, and just plain problematic in a number of ways. An infection caused by the Borrelia burgdorferi bacterium, Lyme disease is transmitted through the bite of an infected tick and can affect many species, including dogs and humans. Ticks of the Ixodes species (called deer ticks) are known to transmit Lyme disease when they attach to a host and feed. Because the tick must be attached for at least 50 hours to transmit Lyme disease, frequent inspection for ticks (and quick removal) can reduce the risk of disease transmission. Lyme disease is more common in certain areas of the United States, including the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and upper Midwest. Symptoms and Identification Clinical signs may not appear for several months after a dog is infected with Lyme disease. In fact, many dogs fail to display any obvious clinical signs at all. When signs of infection are noted, they may include the following: Lethargy (manifested as tiredness or exercise intolerance) Fever Painful joints Loss of appetite Signs may seem to resolve on their own only to reappear later. Lyme disease has also been linked to long-term complications involving the joints, kidneys, heart, and nervous system. Lyme disease is usually diagnosed based on a medical history that includes the possibility of tick exposure, suspicious clinical signs, and results of diagnostic testing. Several tests can identify the Borrelia burgdorferi organism in blood or tissues. In addition, a test (called a quantitative C6 antibody test or QC6 antibody test) can measure the level of antibodies to help veterinarians determine whether treatment is recommended. However, many veterinarians test for Lyme disease using an in-hospital SNAP test. SNAP tests are a group of quick, convenient, blood tests that can be performed at your veterinarian’s office. There are various SNAP tests for different purposes: SNAP Heartworm RT Test: screens for heartworm infection SNAP 3Dx Test: simultaneously screens for heartworm disease, Lyme disease, and ehrlichiosis (another tick-borne disease that can affect dogs) SNAP 4Dx Test: simultaneously screens for heartworm disease, Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, and anaplasmosis (also a tick-borne disease that can cause illness in dogs) SNAP testing is very accurate and is a good way to identify dogs that may be infected with one or more of these diseases. SNAP testing is also very convenient because it uses a very small amount of blood and takes only a few minutes to perform. However, sending blood to an outside laboratory for testing can be every bit as reliable as an in-hospital SNAP test. In some cases, veterinarians may recommend additional testing to follow up a test result or look for other evidence of illness related to heartworm disease or one of the tick-borne infections. Testing may involve sending additional blood samples to a laboratory for further analysis or performing other diagnostic tests to obtain more information about a dog’s condition.