What to feed a dog with lyme disease

Lyme disease is the most common tick-transmitted disease. The effects of this bacterial infection has varying degrees of severity and can lead to major health problems including kidney failure and death. Keep your dog safe by learning what Lyme disease is, the signs and symptoms of it, how to treat it, and when and where it’s most likely to strike.

Table of Contents Show

What is Lyme Diease?
Where is Lyme Disease Most Common?
What are the Signs & Symptoms of Lyme Disease?
How is Lyme Disease Treated & Prevented?
Other actions you can take to prevent your pet from getting Lyme disease are:

What is Lyme Diease?

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted to dogs, horses, some cattle, humans, white-tailed deer, and some rodent species via blacklegged ticks, a particularly small, almost impossible-to-see breed of tick.

Where is Lyme Disease Most Common?

The disease occurs all over the world but was named after Lyme, Connecticut following a tremendous outbreak in the eponymous location in 1975. It is still common in this part of the U.S. According to the CDC, 95% of all confirmed Lyme disease cases stemmed from 14 states:

Connecticut
Delaware
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Minnesota
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Vermont
Virginia
Wisconsin

Confirmed cases have also been reported in Northern California, Oregon, and Washington. When a host is bitten by an infected tick, the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi infiltrates the tissue and can cause multiple health problems. Infection does not enter the blood stream until after the infected tick has been attached to the dog for at least 24-36 hours.

What are the Signs & Symptoms of Lyme Disease?

While it is easy to detect Lyme disease in humans because of the circular red skin rash that appears, it is less detectible in dogs who do not get a rash. What is more, a dog can be infected for two-to-five months before the infection presents signs and symptoms, which include but are not limited to:

Lameness (one of the earlier signs)
Arthritis
Joint pain and swelling (knees and elbows are typically the most affected)
Fever
Poor appetite
Dehydration
Inactivity
Swollen lymph nodes
Difficulty breathing
Sensitivity to touch
Depression

Joint pain and swelling (knees and elbows are typically the most affected)
In rare cases, heart abnormalities and nervous system complications have also been reported. The disease can be difficult to diagnoses as many of the symptoms will present and then appear to resolve. Additionally, these symptoms often mimic the signs of other diseases.

Onset of the disease typically occurs between May and August with the peak months being June and July. Conditions like warmer temperatures, higher humidity, and less rain can cause the season to start sooner.

How is Lyme Disease Treated & Prevented?

After Lyme disease was named, the number of reported cases increased dramatically around the world; however, in recent years, the numbers of cases are dropping in some states—particularly those where Lyme disease is a known issue. This is most likely due to increased awareness about the disease as well as proven prevention and treatment options.
For pet owners who live in areas where Lyme disease is prevalent, there are tick-preventative products and vaccination options available through your veterinarian. Your vet will evaluate your dog’s age, overall health, lifestyle, and likelihood of contracting Lyme disease when deciding if a preventative is right for your dog.

Other actions you can take to prevent your pet from getting Lyme disease are:

Keeping the lawn trim / mowed
Clearing shrubs next to your property
Avoiding leaf piles, tall grass, wooded areas, and marshes where ticks tend to gather
Search your dog for ticks every day. Check and remove any pests by hand. Use fine-point tweezers to grab the tick as close to your dog’s skin as possible. Gently pull the tick straight up to remove it. You want to avoid tearing the tick as that could lead to wound infection.
Explore tick repellent collars, sprays, and other topical options. This could be helpful if being in wooded areas is unavoidable for you and your dog

In the event your dog does get infected, you will need to see a veterinarian for treatment. The vet will provide an antibiotic such as doxycycline. Anti-inflammatories are also helpful for dogs with swelling and arthritic pain. Note that treatment, while effective, does not eliminate the infection, so symptoms may reappear. Kidney disease and other serious negative outcomes are always a potential risk following an infection.

Note, too, that if your dog is infected that Lyme disease is a reportable disease, which means that its occurrence must be reported to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Reportable diseases are considered to be issues of great health importance. Monitoring these diseases enables researchers and health care professionals to take action and to remain abreast of potential epidemics.

When it comes to your pet’s health, knowledge is power. Knowing about how to prevent dangerous disease like Lyme disease is one form of power. Another is knowing that a healthy, all-natural diet like those provided by Wellness Pet Food will help your dog live a longer, happier, more energized life.

What is Lyme disease?

Lyme disease, also known as Lyme borreliosis, is a bacterial illness that is transmitted by an infected tick to another animal. The spiral-shaped bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi carried inside the tick can enter an animal’s bloodstream through its bite. Once in the bloodstream, the bacteria can travel to different parts of the body causing problems in specific organs or organ systems, as well as an overall illness. The ticks that carry this type of bacteria are called “blacklegged” or deer ticks; they are most likely to be found in tall grasses, thick brush, marshes, and woods. Lyme disease occurs in every state in the US, but infection risks vary. Over 95% of cases are from the Northeast, Upper Midwest, and the Pacific Coast. Risk of transmission is highest during periods when the nymphs (spring) and adults (spring and fall) are actively seeking hosts. Once a tick attaches it takes 1-2 days for it to transmit the bacteria that cause Lyme disease.

What are the symptoms of Lyme disease?

Ninety five percent of dogs infected with the Lyme bacteria remain asymptomatic and do not develop Lyme disease. Even though only a fraction of dogs that carry the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease become ill, pet owners should watch for signs. Symptoms in dogs take 7 to 21 days or even longer following infection to appear. Common symptoms include:

Painful, swollen joints, possibly causing lameness. Affected dogs have been described as if they were walking on eggshells.
Fever
Anorexia (lack of appetite)
Swollen lymph nodes
Lethargy
Depression

Left untreated, canine Lyme disease can damage the heart, nervous system, and kidneys (Lyme nephropathy or Lyme nephritis.)

How are dogs tested and diagnosed for Lyme disease?

There is no single test that can distinguish clinical canine Lyme disease from a simple Borrelia burgdorferi infection. When diagnosing Lyme disease, veterinarians make several considerations, including exposure to ticks, signs and symptoms consistent with Lyme disease, as well as other potential diseases. For dogs, blood tests for diagnosing Lyme disease include the Snap 4Dx, Accuplex, C6 test, and the Quant C6 (QC6) test. The C6, Accuplex, and 4Dx tests detect the presence of antibodies created by exposure to the Lyme bacteria. The tests can produce a false negative result if the dog is infected but has not yet formed antibodies or doesn’t form enough antibodies to cause a positive reaction. As such, it is recommended to test no earlier than 4 weeks after a tick bite. The Quant C6 (or QC6) test (such as Cornell University’s “Lyme Multiplex” assay) is a follow-up to the other tests; it can be performed to assess the numerical antibody level as confirmation of Lyme disease. Veterinarians may also want to perform a urinalysis before recommending treatment. Dogs shedding protein in their urine are more likely to be actively infected, requiring treatment. One study showed that 40% of dogs diagnosed with Lyme disease were misdiagnosed and had another condition instead.

How is Lyme disease treated?

Because the Lyme spirochete is a bacterium, it can be treated with antibiotics. Lyme disease is almost always treated with oral doxycycline for 4 weeks. Other antibiotics such as amoxicillin and azithromycin are also used. The treatment may be extended if symptoms persist.

There are several natural alternatives to treat Lyme disease.

Japanese Knotweed Root – reduces inflammation and Lyme symptoms. It can be used in combination with an antibiotic and is considered a “synergist” meaning that both the herb and the drug will each increase its effectiveness.
Cat’s Claw – supports the immune system.
Glucosamine Sulfate – This supplement is often used to help with joint pain and inflammation as well as restoring and protecting cartilage.
Ledum – a homeopathic remedy used to prevent infection, as well as for the treatment of stiff and painful joints.
Astragalus – a very good immune herb that helps to keep the level of infection low or nonexistent.

How can Lyme disease be prevented?

The key to prevention is minimizing your dog’s exposure to ticks. There are several preventative measures you can take to help prevent Lyme disease in your dog.

Inspect your dogs and yourself daily for ticks after walks through the woods or grassy settings. Look especially between toes, on lips, around eyes, inside ears, and under the tail.
Remove ticks as soon as possible. There are several ways to safely remove a tick from your dog. Be sure to destroy the tick by crushing it before disposing of it. If desired, take a photo of the tick to show your veterinarian. Ticks can be submitted for testing to show if they are carrying disease.
Keep grass mown as short as possible.
Lyme vaccinations work to prevent transmission of the Borrelia bacteria from the tick to the dog during a tick bite. These vaccines have limitations. They are only 60% to 80% effective in preventing Lyme disease if given prior to the dog being exposed to the disease. They may be less effective in dogs that have already been infected. Some studies indicate that Lyme disease vaccine in dogs may only last about six months, and more studies are needed to confirm these findings. The Lyme vaccine is generally recommended for dogs that live or frequently visit areas known for Lyme disease and high risk of tick exposure. It is never recommended to give a vaccine to a sick dog, even if the dog is sick from Lyme disease. In a study of 1.2 million vaccinated dogs, the Lyme disease vaccine, when used alone, produced more adverse reactions within 3 days than any other canine vaccine. Some studies have shown that vaccination may predispose dogs to inflammation of the kidneys (nephritis) and protein losing nephropathy (PLN) from immune-complex deposition in the kidneys. The vaccine should not be given to dogs living in low-risk areas; some veterinarians question the use of the vaccine for any dog.
Tick prevention products – there are a variety of products used to lower a dog’s risk of exposure to ticks. Some can be very toxic to pets. I recommend a variety of natural products that are just as effective as the popular conventional tick preventatives.