What it is
Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia, bacteria that a tick picks up when it feeds on the blood of infected rodents or birds. They pass to a dog only after the tick has been attached for some time, so the sooner a tick is removed, the lower the risk of infection. In Lithuania the same ticks also spread tick-borne encephalitis, which is dangerous to people.
From the bite the bacteria spread through the body and settle in the joints, skin and other tissues. The immune system answers with inflammation, so the joints ache and the dog limps. Sometimes the kidneys are affected too: the dog then drinks more, vomits or loses weight.
In tick season, check your dog after every walk, especially the head, ears, neck, armpits, groin and between the toes, and remove any tick you find as soon as you can. Your vet can tell you how else to protect your dog from ticks and whether vaccination against Lyme disease suits it.
Signs you may notice
- Limps, and the limp moves from leg to leg
- Swollen, painful joints
- Fever
- Lethargic and eats less
- Swollen lymph nodes
The dog starts to limp, and the limp may move from one leg to another. Its joints swell and hurt, it runs a fever, turns lethargic and eats less, and its lymph nodes may swell. The signs can appear weeks or months after the tick bite, when the bite is long forgotten.
When to see a vet
Book a visit if your dog starts limping for no clear reason or its joints swell, especially if you have found a tick on it in recent months. If it also drinks a lot, vomits or is very lethargic, have it seen promptly.
For parasite protection
You will find products against ticks, fleas and worms in this category. This is not a treatment: your vet will advise which suits your dog.
This is general information, not veterinary advice. For your own dog's health, tests and treatment, see a vet.