Can You Improve Dog Lyme Disease Life Expectancy Essential Tips For Pet Owners 2024
Dog Lyme disease life expectancy and what causes the disease
Dog Lyme disease life expectancy varies from case to case, but dogs can live completely normal lives when the disease is diagnosed and treated promptly.
Lyme disease ranks among the world ‘s most frequently occurring tick-borne illnesses. It affects mainly humans and dogs and rarely cats, horses, and cattle.
-Lyme disease has been documented worldwide and in the United States, with the majority of cases in the Northeast.
-Most dogs with Lyme disease never develop any symptoms as these symptoms are mild and easily treated, but some cases with Lyme disease can develop serious symptoms that can be life-threatening.
-Now let’s take a closer look at dog Lyme disease life expectancy and know more about the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of Lyme disease in dogs.
Dog Lyme disease life expectancy and what causes the disease
-Lyme disease, also known as Lyme borreliosis, is a bacterial disease that is caused by Ixodes ticks(blacklegged or deer ticks) and these ticks carry a spiral-shaped bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi.
-Ticks can transmit disease even early in life.
-The tiny ticks, known as nymphs (often known as seed ticks), look like tiny black dots.
-Their legs are so small that you may not be able to see them at first.
-Adult ticks have a black front half of the body and a broader brown back.
-You may not be able to see the head of the tick if it is already attached to your dog.
How does the infection occur in dogs?
-As dogs are more likely to play in places where ticks are common such as: shrubs, grass, leaf piles, and the woods so they are particularly prone to tick bites.
-Because ticks don’t fly or jump, they communicate with their host by roosting on the edges of tall grass or bushes, then quickly grabbing your dog when they pass by.
-The tick then crawls up his body looking for a place to bite.
-When the tick bites the dog, Borrelia burgdorferi passes from the saliva of the tick to the dog’s bloodstream, then it can infect heart, brain, joints, and spinal cord.
-The tick must be attached to the body for 24-48 hours before the bacteria can be transferred into the body.
Dog Lyme disease life expectancy and what the factors are that increase the chance of contracting Lyme disease
1-Dogs who have more outdoor activities such as hunting in wooded areas are more prone to Lyme disease because of the high rate of exposure to black-legged ticks.
2-Dogs who don’t get vaccinations.
3-Dogs who are not updated on tick prevention are also at the highest risk of infection.
4-The weather is an important factor as spring, summer, and fall are the best seasons of the year for infection to occur, as the weather is warmer and thus the chance of the presence of ticks increases.
Dog Lyme disease life expectancy depends largely on how strong your dog’s immune system is and how long the infection has been present before treatment begins.
What are the symptoms of Lyme disease in dogs?
We can know dog Lyme disease life expectancy by the symptoms appearing on it, which determine whether the infection is simple and can be treated easily, or if it has serious symptoms that may threaten the dog’s life.
1-Loss of appetite
The first symptom of Lyme disease is loss of appetite, which may be accompanied by lethargy or tremors.
Dogs with Lyme disease won’t be able to eat because they feel ill and generally have low energy levels.
These symptoms may come and go, but if they last more than a week, or if they occur suddenly , be sure to take your dog to your vet as soon as possible as it is a sign that the infection has become serious and it will threaten the dog’s life.
2-Fever
Fever is one of the most common symptoms of Lyme disease, and it’s also the first thing your vet will check for.
3-Lameness
Lameness or joint pain is one of the most common symptoms of Lyme disease as the bacteria enters the bloodstream and reaches the joints causing pain and inflammation.
This pain may appear in one or two dog’s limbs.
4-Stiffness
If your dog doesn’t move as normal or be less active, he may suffer from stiffness that can be a symptom for Lyme disease.
5-Malaise or general discomfort
If you notice that your dog becomes more lethargic and looks uncomfortable that may be a symptom for Lyme disease and then you must see your vet as soon as possible.
6-Sensitivity to touch
Sensitivity to touch can be a symptom for Lyme disease so you need to talk to your vet.
7-Difficult breathing
It is one of the severe symptoms associated with Lyme disease and needs a veterinary medical emergency.
-There are also some symptoms you may notice in dogs infected with Lyme disease, such as: vomiting, diarrhea, enlarged lymph nodes, swollen belly, increased thirst, and increased urination.
-There are severe symptoms that can affect dog Lyme disease life expectancy such as kidney failure Which may occur as a result of negligence in treatment of Lyme disease and that can be fatal.
Some neurological and cardiac symptoms can occur due to untreated Lyme disease.
Will dog Lyme disease life expectancy improve with treatment?
-Yes, as dogs with Lyme disease will live normal lifespans if they get the proper treatment early, early detection of the disease is a very important step to protect your dog from deteriorating health.
can Lyme disease be cured in dogs?
Yes, Lyme disease can be cured in dogs. While the disease itself may not be completely eradicated, the symptoms and progression can be effectively managed with appropriate veterinary treatment.
Treatment typically involves antibiotics. These medications can help eliminate the bacteria causing Lyme disease, reducing symptoms and preventing further complications. However, it’s important to consult a veterinarian for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan, as the severity of the disease and the dog’s overall health will influence the course of treatment.
Prevention is also crucial. Protecting your dog from tick bites through regular checks, avoiding tick-infested areas, and using preventative medications can significantly reduce the risk of Lyme disease infection.
What is the treatment of Lyme disease in dogs?
1-Antibiotics
The vet often recommends doxycycline for one month for the treatment of Lyme disease.
If the dog is sensitive to doxycycline, the vet will give amoxicillin or cefovecin instead.
2-Pain medications
If the dog suffer from joint swelling or discomfort, the vet will give him
Gabapentin.
3-Other medications
In some cases, the vet may use steroids or another immunosuppressant.
As we mentioned if treatment is started early enough, this will improve dog Lyme disease life expectancy and the chance of recovery will be great.
But if treatment is delayed, chronic recurrences have been seen.
Diagnosis of Lyme disease in dogs
Diagnosis of Lyme disease in dogs is not easy because testing is not accurate.
So a veterinarian always depends on using a combination of tests and a discussion with the dog parent to know more about the symptoms that occur on the dog and if there is any recent exposure to ticks.
The main problem with the diagnosis of Lyme disease is that the standard blood test looks for the antibodies and not for the bacteria itself.
So in the early stage of the infection, the test may give a false negative result as the dog’s body has not yet formed a floating amount of antibodies to appear in the blood test.
Even in cases of infection that have passed some time ago, the dog’s body does not produce a sufficient amount of antibodies that makes the blood test give a positive result.
The vet can do a follow-up test(QC6) to determine the level of antibodies of Lyme disease.
Diagnostic tests of Lyme disease include:
1-SNAP 4DX
SNAP 4DX is a serum ELISA(Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay) test that is produced by Idexx labs in the US.
This test is used for diagnosis of Lyme disease and other diseases also such as three tick-borne diseases and Heartworm disease.
This test will not give a positive result unless several weeks have passed since the infection and the body has developed a sufficient amount of antibodies.
SNAP 4DX is done by mixing dog’s blood with a special solution and the result is ready within eight minutes.
2-PCR(polymerase chain reaction)
The sample of this test is lymph node, joint fluid, or blood.
3-Urinalysis
A sample of dog’s urine is taken to detect the level of protein in urine which can be an indication of kidney disease in dogs who have a positive Lyme disease test.
Early diagnosis of Lyme disease will improve dog Lyme disease life expectancy and give more chances to your dog to recover faster.
Dog Lyme disease life expectancy and prevention of Lyme disease in dogs
Dog Lyme disease life expectancy may be affected by some ways of prevention like vaccinations.
●Vaccinations
Vaccinations can improve dog Lyme disease life expectancy as it offers more protection by stimulating the dog’s immune system to produce antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi( the bacteria that cause Lyme disease).
●Tick prevention products
You can consult your vet to use these products to get the maximum effectiveness.
These products are like chewable tablets, spot-on products, and tick collars.
●Keep the yard tick-free
You can use pesticides treatments for ticks.
Summary
Dog Lyme disease cannot be cured easily unless it is detected early, and thus this will improve dog Lyme disease life expectancy and give it a better chance of recovery.
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