Standard Poodles -
Lyme Disease

Last year, when I took our female Standard Poodle in for her annual vet visit, I was shocked to learn that she had contracted Lyme disease. They had performed a blood test on her and it came back positive. We had been faithful at applying flea and tick medication every month to six weeks, but she contracted it anyway! Fortunately, we caught it early, because she didn’t have any symptoms.

The vet put her on a dose of antibiotics and vaccinated her and my other Standard Poodle against it. So far, she seems to be just fine!

What Exactly is Lyme Disease Anyway!

The disease is caused by the bite of a tick. Not just any old tick. There are three varieties, but most of the cases come from the Deer Tick. The ticks themselves don’t actually cause the disease; it is caused by the bacteria that the tick transmits. The mumbo jumbo fancy scientific name for the bacteria that causes the disease is Borrelia Burgdorferi.

If you’re wondering why it is called Lyme disease, it was named Lyme after the town in Connecticut where the first case was discovered.

Tick larvae get the Borrelia Burgdorferi bacteria is their system by feeding on the blood of voles or especially the white-footed mouse. Once the larvae turn into adults, they turn their attention to feeding on deer! Once they’ve gorged themselves on the deer blood, they mate and produce thousands of eggs and the next spring the cycle begins all over.

So where does your dog, or you for that matter, fit in to this cycle? Ticks are not picky when it comes to a good meal! They’ll dine on anything that comes along. In order for the bacteria to be transmitted to the bloodstream, the tick has to remain attached to the dog’s skin for at least a day or two.

Oh, by the way, you can’t catch the disease from your dog or any other animal for that matter.

What are the Symptoms?

Like I mentioned earlier, Meg did not show any symptoms, but that is not generally the case. Usually, there is some degree of limping in one of the forelegs. It can be mild or so severe that the dog can’t move. The dog will usually have swollen lymph nodes in the limb affected and run a temperature of around 103 degrees. If the disease is pretty far along, it can also affect the heart and nerves.

Sometimes, the disease can be hard to diagnose, since it can have the same symptoms as other diseases. One way to tell that it may possibly be Lyme disease is if the dog was running around normally a few days ago and has progressively gotten worse. If the disease is suspected, a blood test will be run to be sure. If the dog was previously vaccinated against Lyme disease, a different blood test must be given.

What is the Treatment?

The treatment for Lyme disease is a regime of antibiotics, usually Doxycycline or Amoxicillin lasting a minimum of a month. Aspirin can be given to help alleviate the pain and stiffness. Generally, most dogs will recover completely, but a few will have a relapse and have to go on antibiotics again. Some dogs may have chronic joint pain if the disease was not caught early enough.

How Can I Prevent Lyme Disease?

Although no one method is 100% effective at preventing the disease, there are things you can do to help reduce the chances of your dog contracting it. You can have your dog vaccinated against the disease with one of the currently three vaccines available. Spray your yard and kennel area with a safe effective insecticide. Use a topical flea and tick preventative such as Frontline Plus or K9 Advantix.

Check your dog often for ticks, especially after outdoor runs or play. Try and remove the ticks without crushing them. We use tweezers and grasp the tick as close to the dog’s skin as you can get and pull it out. Don’t use a lit cigarette or match to burn the tick off!

We’ll never totally be able to get rid of ticks, but knowing what to do if you do find them and how to reduce the risk of your dog contracting the disease is a step in the right direction.

	Web www.standardpoodlesusa.com

Return to Home Page from Lyme Disease Page