by Sarah E. Sanuth

Created on: May 21, 2008   Last Updated: March 24, 2010

Lyme disease is a bacterium. This bacteria, called Borrelia burgdorferi, is harbored and carried by ticks. Not all ticks however, carry Lyme disease. Only three types of ticks carry the bacteria, with the most common the Deer Tick.

Prevention

Checking your dog every time they come in from outside is a good measure to take, but not always useful. Ticks, especially the Deer Tick, can be very small, about the size of the head of a pin; so you may not always see them.

If you happen to notice a tick present on your dog, always try to remove it right away. Wearing gloves, use a pair of tweezers to gently pull the tick out. Don't tug or pull hard, as you may just remove the head from the tick, which is the most important part to remove. Never use your fingers to remove the tick, as you may just crush the tick, making proper removal difficult. Once removed, flush it down the toilet, never throw it back outside.

Using a topical medication, such as K9Advantix or Frontline will help prevent ticks from coming in contact with your dog. These medications are water-proof, but not wash-proof. A common mistake made is thinking that you dog is protected after a bath, and they are in fact not. If you give your dog a bath, always reapply the medication once he is dry.

Vaccines are also now available. But do keep in mind though very effective, nothing is 100 percent.

Ticks like thick brush. If your dog frequents the backyard and there's a lot of brush, cut it down. This will diminish the population of ticks.

Causes

Ticks need blood to eat and grow. If your dog happens by when a tick is ready to feed, it will attach itself and he may not feel it at all. If this tick happens to be carrying the bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi, that causes Lyme disease, the bacteria will start to do its damage.

The bacteria usually takes about 24-48 hours to invade your dogs system, but it has been known to happen a lot quicker.

Symptoms

Some dogs will not show any signs or symptoms that they have the disease at all and some will show signs immediately. Knowing your dog's normal behavior is key to recognizing the signs that he may have it.

The most common sign is limping, usually of a front leg. This is because the disease mimics that of arthritis, and is sometimes misdiagnosed. If you dog was walking normally and had no discomfort a few days ago and is all of a sudden limping and appears to be swollen in the area with no known injury, it is a tell tale sign that you dog may be infected with the disease.

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