Lyme disease
Lyme disease is caused by a type of bacterium called Borrella. These bacteria are transmitted to the dogs by tick bites. Once they enter the blood stream, they travel to different parts of the body. They are usually located in the joints. It was thought in the past that certain species only It is ticks that transmit the disease, but it has now emerged that many of the usual ticks can transmit the disease.
Can this disease affect humans?
Yes, but humans do not get infected with dogs directly, but they suffer from the same tick bites that transmit the disease to dogs, so preventing exposure to ticks is important for you and your dog.
How is your dog affected by this disease?
Many people with the disease have a characteristic skin rash in place of tick bite within 3 to 30 days. Diagnosis is easy at an early stage, but the symptoms of Lyme disease are more difficult to detect in animals than humans.
The characteristic skin rash does not appear in dogs or cats, because other symptoms may be delayed or not observed, and because the symptoms are similar to many other diseases, Lyme disease is not eradicated in animals until other diseases have been eliminated.
Many dogs with Lyme disease are taken to the veterinarian because they seem to feel general pain and have stopped eating, and the infected dogs are described as "walking on eggshells." Dogs are often very hot, and dogs may also limp because of the disease. , And usually appears painful pain suddenly and may move from one foot to the other, if not treated, may disappear after a time but return again after weeks or months.
Some pets become infected with Lyme germs for more than a year before the onset of symptoms, and at the time of onset the disease has spread throughout the body.
How is Lyme diagnosed?
Dogs suffering from limping, swelling of joints, fever may have Lyme disease, but there are other diseases with the same symptoms, there are two blood tests can be used to confirm the diagnosis.
The first is the test of antibodies. This test does not detect bacteria in the blood, but it detects the antibodies produced by the body against it. The test may appear to be a negative result. If the dog is infected but the antibodies are not yet present or if they can not form the antibodies to make a positive reaction, This happens with animals with weak immune systems. Some dogs that have been infected for long periods of time suffer from a lack of enough antibodies to be tested, so the positive result of this test is useful and the negative result is not reliable.
The second test is the PCR DNA test, also known as the DNA test, which is a specialized and highly sensitive test, but not all dogs contain pathogenic bacteria in their blood cells, the negative result may appear to be false, so the best sample is taken from liquid The injured joint.
How is the treatment for Lyme disease?
Because the microbe causing Lyme is a type of bacteria, it is treated with antibiotics, but a long program of treatment is needed to get rid of the disease completely. The antibiotic that has been prescribed may not be effective in eradicating the disease, Infection is severe. In this case, the antibiotic type needs to be changed. Sometimes the first infection is repeated again, or the animal may be infected again after a tick bite.
How do I protect my dog from getting Lyme Disease?
The key to prevention of Lyme disease is to prevent the dog from being exposed to tick bites. The tick is found in the wood, grass and sandy areas. The tick finds its way to the animal to climb on the surface of the leaves, grass or short trees (especially cedar trees). Until the animal approaches and then falls on it or infiltrates it, so prevent the animal these types of land and do not make it walk directly on the ground dense grass or wood.
How do I eliminate ticks?
Here are some of the products we recommend:
Anti-tick hoops - The only hoops we recommend are Kiltix hoops and Preventic collars. These hoops are very effective, but should not be wet, and should be replaced every five months.
Frontline spray works but with moderate efficiency, so if you live in a very ticking environment, the hoops are better. In this case, the frontline spray can also be used with the hoops.
Topical spots - Frontline fluid, Revolution is placed between the shoulder blades every month and works well against ticks (also fleas and some intestinal parasites).
Whatever products you use, be sure to follow the instructions on the cover well. The misuse of tick products can be dangerous for your dog, especially for a small dog.
How do I remove a tick from my dog?
Check your dog immediately after being present in an environment infected with ticks, and if there is a tick moving on it, it means that it has not yet been drawn from the blood, immediately remove the tick, and if you find a tick attached to your dog, pick up the tick with your catches or nails and drag it quickly, You can do this with someone else's help to mow the animal, and remove the tick at a very important speed. The disease can only be transmitted after 12 hours of tick bite. Be careful not to touch the contents of the tick, including blood in your skin. Or cut into your skin.
Is there a vaccine that will protect my dog from Lyme disease?
Immunization is now available to protect dogs from Lyme disease. This immunization is given first twice, two weeks, and then repeated annually for immunization. Immunization has been shown to be safe and effective.
