Lyme disease in dogs is no laughing matter. Learn about treatment to protect your pet!
It’s that time of the year again. The time when dog owners are faithfully checking all over their furry friends’ bodies for ticks. Those slurpy little suckers can jump on your pet at any time, such as when he goes out to poop or even on a quick walk around the blog. Lyme disease in dogs is a serious illness, so it’s important to know both the symptoms and also the treatment methods.
A little while ago, we talked about the symptoms of Lyme disease and what you should be aware of. Now let’s discuss how to treat Lyme disease if one of those nasty little ticks actually does infect your pet.
But first, are you aware of how Lyme disease in dogs is transmitted? A deer tick attaches to and feeds on a host, such as a dog. Once the feeding begins, the disease will move from the tick onto the host. It is believed that there is very little chance of infection if a tick is not engorged or in the first 12 hours of the tick attaching to the host. I’m not sure how much I can stand behind that though. First, how will my human parents know when the tick attached itself? Second, no matter how big the tick is, if I find one on me, I’m going to worry a little bit.
If you find a tick on your dog, keep an eye on him for symptoms of Lyme disease. If he doesn’t seem to be experiencing any health changes, you can take a deep breath. Me and many of my dog friends have all had ticks on us in the past, and none of us have ever been diagnosed. However, if you do notice changes in your dogs health after a tick bite, make an appointment with your veterinarian right away. You can expect that your pet vet will take blood from your dog to send out for diagnostic testing. The veterinarian will also ask for your report on symptoms and exposure. This is how they will be able to diagnose your dog.
If your dog has been diagnosed with Lyme disease, you should know that antibiotics are the treatment of choice by most veterinarians. Several tetracyclines, such as doxycycline, and penicillin-like antibiotics, including amoxicillin, are what will likely be prescribed for your four-legged friend. Wow, try saying that five times fast!
The good news is that dogs respond to antibiotics for Lyme disease treatment better than humans do. While the amount of time on antibiotics will vary depending on each case of Lyme disease in dogs, there’s a chance your dog may only need to be on antibiotics for three to four weeks. Some cases are more severe and may possibly require a brief stay in the animal hospital. Your veterinarian will be able to make the best diagnosis of treatment methods based on your dog’s illness.
Have your dogs ever been treated for Lyme disease? What was their treatment like? Let us know in the comment section below!
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Thanks Very informative. Tick on a dog’s body is certainly not a joking matter. The only logical way i have overcome this, is through frequent vet checks and of course with my Pet insurance in place. Am able to have things under control.