Symptoms and treatment of Lyme disease in dogs
Written by CristianStan on June 29, 2009 – 2:08 am -The Lyme disease is quite a new disease. It has been found recently in the north and western parts of the US. The alarming think about this disease is that it can be transmitted form dogs to humans quite easily.
Since 1975 this disease has been a constant sign of concern in all the states of the United States of America.
The source of infection
The source is a microscopic parasite also named deer tick. The white-footed mice and the white tailed deer are the main hosts. When the mice or the deer is in the wood area or areas with plants, the tick attached itself to the body of the hosts. These ticks don’t fly or jump. They just sit there and wait for the host to carry them out.
Attack method
The ticks can attack a dog almost everywhere on the body. They can attach themselves to ears, neck, feat or head. The tick bites are not painful, they are like a bee sting. It is quite common that an infected dog doesn’t show distress from the tick bites.
The symptoms
The infected dog will show an elevated temperature. He can also be restless and show a bit of limping. Other symptoms that follow are the pain, warmth and joint swelling. Also, it is hard to notice, but underneath the dog’s coat, some inflammated areas can appear.
That is where the tick has bitten the skin. Make a habit of checking the dog’s skin form time to time and watch out for these symptoms.
The treatment
Once you have spotted some symptoms, take the dog straight to the doctor. The vet will diagnose the dog and give him the right medication. Don’t wait a while before taking the dog to the vet. The Lyme disease can easily spread to you too and in advanced stages it can even kill the dog.
Serious repercussions happen if it is left untreated. The dog can even get paralyzed on his limbs. After attacking the front and then the back limbs, the disease will for sure attack the chest muscles and disable them. This means the dog will no longer be able to breath on his own. He will choke and die of asphyxiation.
Learn more about lyme disease in dogs, causes of lyme disease in dogs and effective treatment for lyme disease in dogs at LymeDiseaseInDogs.Net.