If you want to enjoy the outdoors with your dogs in the summer in southern New Jersey, you will, at some point, have to deal with ticks. I spend a lot of time in the woods with my dogs, and ticks are just a part of life. However, I take measures to prevent them from getting onto my dogs and remove ticks immediately if my dogs do get them. As a result, I have not had a case of Lyme disease in years.
Tick-borne illnesses have been in existence for as long as ticks have been in existence. Rocky Mountain spotted fever and ehrlichiosis were at one time the most prevalent of the tick-borne diseases until the early 1970s when a group of children from Lyme, Connecticut, became ill, and doctors were unable to find a diagnosis. Symptoms ranged from swollen knees and joints, headaches, stiff joints, chronic fatigue, and, in some cases, a low-grade fever. While doing research on Rocky Mountain spotted fever in 1981, a scientist named Willy Burgdorfer determined that black-legged ticks, or deer ticks, carried a specific illness. He identified those ticks as causing the illnesses in Lyme, Connecticut, thus giving the blight its current name. The technical name of the germs that cause Lyme disease is “Borrelia.”
Lyme disease is transmitted by immature black-legged ticks, also known as deer ticks, after they feed from an infected host. As the tick matures, it carries the disease and transmits it to another host if it feeds from that animal or person for over 24 hours.
Dogs can show symptoms of having contracted Lyme disease for up to four months post-bite. Symptoms are similar to those in humans, which may include fever, loss of appetite, lethargy, stiff and sore joints, and, in some cases, but certainly not all, a bull’s-eye around where the bite occurred. In one to five percent of dogs, Lyme can also cause a kidney issue called nephritis.
If you suspect your dog may have Lyme disease, you should see your vet for a blood test to confirm. Even if your dog tests positive, they may not need a round of antibiotics. You should not jump to give your dogs a round of antibiotics for a tick bite alone to prevent an infection, because it does not work. Your vet will decide, based on the Lyme titer, exactly which antibiotic is best for your dog and for how long it is needed. Doxycycline is the most common drug used to treat Lyme, and it is a very strong antibiotic that sometimes will require a 30-day dose.
The best way to avoid Lyme disease is to prevent it. The Lyme vaccine is the first step. While, yes, it is possible that the antibodies in the vaccine may not 100 percent prevent its transmission, research shows it is 80 percent effective. Aside from the vaccine, tick preventatives like a topical drop or a monthly pill are recommended. I spray my dogs’ feet with a preventative if we are going somewhere where the brush is deep for an extra layer of protection. Even if you use a vaccine and preventative, you should always check your dog for ticks daily after they have been in areas where ticks live. If you remove the tick in at least 48 hours, you can prevent the transmission of the disease.
There is no reason to panic about a tick bite. Thankfully, while a nuisance to get rid of, there have been great advances in preventing the transmission of Lyme disease. Get your dogs treated, and enjoy the outdoors with them this summer!
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net.
Heidi Clayton started Four On the Floor Dog Training to provide positive, reward-based dog training in South Jersey. She breeds, trains and shows bull terriers under the SoraBully’s Bull Terriers kennel name. Email questions to heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net or learn more at https://fouronthefloordogtraining.net
