Signs, Diagnosis, and Treatment
While many dogs will not show any outward signs of illness, the most common visible signs of Lyme disease are arthritis and lameness due to painful joints. Dogs may also experience fever, loss of appetite, and loss of energy. Clinical signs—when they do appear—may come and go, may vary in severity, and can sometimes be mistaken for those of other conditions. Generally speaking, puppies are more likely to exhibit clinical signs than adult dogs.
Lyme disease can become quite serious if left untreated. In the most severe cases, Lyme disease can lead to heart disease, central nervous system disorders, or even fatal kidney disease.1
When signs of Lyme disease are present, the condition can be confirmed by blood tests to detect antibodies to B. burgdorferi. If the disease is in its early stages, however, blood tests may be negative. Only when the disease has progressed does the test become reliably positive. 1
The standard treatment for Lyme disease in dogs is 4 weeks of therapy with an antibiotic. Dogs usually respond within 2 to 3 days when the disease is caught in its earliest stages. In some cases, however, signs do return, so further treatment may be required. For this reason, prevention is the best way to manage Lyme disease.
Reference:
1. Greene CE. Infectious Diseases of the Dog and Cat. 3rd ed. St. Louis, Missouri: Saunders Elsevier; 2006.
