Lyme disease was identified in the 1975 and was named by the town Lyme, Connecticut, where a number of cases were registered. Experts say the disease existed long before the 20th century. “Scientists in Europe first knew and wrote about a disease like Lyme disease in 1883. German doctor named Alfred Buchwald wrote about a rash that looked like the bull’s-eye on a target” (Donnelly, 2000, p. 7-8). People did not know what caused these symptoms and used wrong treatment because of that. Today doctors have much more information about this issue. Lyme disease is a representative of systemic natural focal infectious diseases with several stages of development. It is also known as Lyme borreliosis. The disease affects both humans and animals and can be spread form one group to another. The name borreliosis was given because of the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi who is an infecting agent of the Lyme disease. The pathogenic organism is a gram-negative spirochete that is referred to the genus Borrelia “named after French bacteriologist Amedée Borrel (1867–1936) in 1907is” (“Borrelia burgdorferi”, 2012). The group also includes В. garinii and В. afzelii species. Bacteria are tick-borne obligate parasites. They get into their carriers when ticks feed on infected mice and other mammals. Arthropods spread microorganisms through their saliva. Bacteria use deer ticks (blacklegged tick) and a small group of other closely related ticks. The severity of symptoms, course of the disease and its outcomes depend up the strain’s virulence, animal’s condition and type of treatment.
Symptoms
Dogs have fewer risks to become ill with Lyme disease than people. “Up to 95 percent of dogs infected with B. burgdorferi do not develop symptoms” (McLeod, 2014). But there are still signs that show animal’s health is damaged. In case of people, Lyme disease is often associated with erythema migrans. It is a skin condition caused by the active reproduction of spirochete. Common symptoms of Lyme disease for dogs are: lameness, lethargy, loss of appetite, fever between 103-105 degrees, swollen lymph glands and swelling in joints. All these signs develop after two to five month after the tick bite. “The lameness associated with Lyme disease symptoms in dogs appears suddenly, and may move mysteriously from one leg to another” (“Dog Lyme Disease Symptoms”, n. d.). Symptoms can disappear by themselves and return after some period of time. Additional signs of Lyme disease in dogs include touch sensitivity, rough breathing and stiff walk with an arched back.
Borreliosis can cause kidney disease in some cases. Dogs with this health condition have additional symptoms like increased thirst, changes in urination pattern, vomiting and depression. Kidney disease raises risks that the animal will not respond to treatment. Lyme disease can cause neurological and heart complications, but these cases are rear in dogs.
Diagnosis
Doctors can diagnose Lyme disease with the aid of blood tests. There are two types of analysis for indication of this disorder. “One is an antibody test, which detects presence not of the bacterium but of specific antibodies that are formed in the dog’s body in reaction to the bacterium The second type of test is a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, a specific DNA test that confirms presence of the disease-causing bacterium itself” (Paddock, 2016). However, both these procedures can give false-negative results. Antibody test does not show that the dog is exposed to the bacterium, if it was done too early or too late. If the infection got into organism recently, it does not have time to develop enough amounts of antibodies for the analysis. If dogs were infected for a long time, they may stop to develop enough antibodies for the positive result. PCR test can show false-negative results if medics analyze wrong type of biological material. For example, they check blood, while infection is in a joint.
Veterinarians need to base their diagnosis on the combination of factors. This list includes history of tick exposure, urine and joint liquid tests, x-rays, examination and other procedures that can show signs of Lyme disease and linked disorders. Quickness of response to antibiotics can be an additional factor for the right diagnosis.
Treatment
Veterinarians should start treatment as soon as they diagnosed Lyme disease. Medics often use antibiotic like amoxicillin, penicillin, tetracycline and doxycycline to deal with the B. burgdorferi. Doxycycline is a common decision for dogs’ treatment. Animals should take drugs at least for four weeks. “Treatment may not completely clear the bacteria, but produces a state where no symptoms are present” (McLeod, 2014). Experts do not recommend to use painkillers to treat joint pain, until they were suggested by veterinarians. Most part of dogs with Lyme disease can be treated at home. Animals should be kept warm and dry and their activity should be limited until the improving of clinical signs.
“Improvement in sudden (acute) inflammation of the joints caused by Borrelia should be seen within three to five days of antibiotic treatment” (DogHeirs Team, 2012). If there are no changes, veterinarians should think about the check of the diagnosis. Owners also should treat additional disorders caused by Lyme disease like kidney diseases. Doctors use urinalysis, x-rays an other such procedures to monitor dog’s condition.
Prevention
“Unfortunately, symptoms of Lyme disease do not always completely go away in some animals. Long-term joint pain may continue even after the bacteria has been fully eradicated from a dog's system” (DogHeirs Team, 2012). Antibiotics can be ineffective because of late start of the treatment, strain’s virulence, organism’s features and other complications. That is why it is important to take steps to prevent the development of Lyme disease.
Ticks are primary cause of this condition. “An infected tick must be attached for 24 to 48 hours to transmit Lyme disease (and at least 12 to 24 hours to transmit anaplasmosis, another serious tick-borne disease)” (Paddock, 2016). That means owners should check their pets for presence of ticks each day. There are periods of high risk, like the part of year from October to March, but “tick season” can take other months, when the temperature is above freezing. Climate changes caused by the global warming raised ticks’ activity. It is better to check dog’s body each time it was outdoors, even if it was the walk in the local park. Experts recommend to avoid areas with tall grass, woods, bushes and dead leaves. Owners should clear their plots of dead plants and leaves, because they create a good environment for ticks. There are direct mechanisms of ticks’ removing. Wrong method can lead to situation when the part of arthropod is stayed in the dog’s body and cause the inflammation and other complications. It is better to remove ticks with the aid of professional veterinarian and send them for analysis of Lyme disease’s signs.
Vaccination is the other preventive measure. It helps to prevent the development of Lyme disease in dogs and protect pets from becoming carriers of the disease. However, vaccination can not be used for all animals. It is “only helpful in dogs which have not already been exposed to B. burgdorferi” (McLeod, 2014). Vaccine also does not give the long-last immunity, so dogs will need to repeat the procedure each tick season.
Reference List
“Borrelia burgdorferi: Lyme disease spirochete”. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.metapathogen.com/borrelia/#lyme-disease
DogHeirs Team. (2012). Canine Lyme Disease: Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention. Retrieved from http://www.dogheirs.com/dogheirs/posts/962-canine-lyme-disease-symptoms-treatment-and-prevention
Donnelly, K. (2000). Everything You Need to Know About Lyme Disease. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. Retrieved from https://archive.org/stream/everythingyounee00kare#page/n5/mode/2up
McLeod, L. (2014). Lyme Disease in Dogs. Retrieved from http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/diseasesandconditions/a/CW-K9Lyme.htm
Paddock, A. (2016). Lyme Disease in Dogs: Symptoms, Tests, Treatment, and Prevention. Retrieved from http://www.akc.org/learn/dog-health/lyme-disease-in-dogs/
