Everything To Know About Lyme Disease in Dogs, From Symptoms to Prevention

As if finding ticks on your dog isn’t bad enough, knowing they could make your pooch sick adds insult to injury. Lyme borreliosis, more commonly known as Lyme disease, is a tick-borne illness caused by Borrelia bacteria, and it isn’t just a concern for humans.

With the help of two vets, we dive into the nitty-gritty details of Lyme disease in dogs, including the signs of Lyme disease, treatment options and ways to keep your dog safe from ticks.

Lyme disease in dogs means infection with the Borrelia bacteria. There are two types of ticks that can spread Lyme disease in the U.S.:

• Blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis), also known as a deer tick, found in the Northeast, the Mid-Atlantic and North Central U.S.
• Western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus), found along the Pacific

Additionally, both types of ticks can be found in various regions of Canada.

Only infected ticks can transmit Lyme disease, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), dogs cannot spread Lyme disease directly to humans or to other dogs.

However, if your dog has Lyme disease, it’s possible for you to contract it if you’re bitten by a tick that first became infected from biting your four-legged friend. The same goes for another dog in your family.

According to the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, most dogs who are infected with Lyme disease don’t show signs of illness. Of those who do, it can take two to five months after infection for clinical signs to appear.

So, what should you keep an eye out for? Gerald Buchoff, BVScAH, veterinarian at Longevity Veterinary Center in Whippany, New Jersey, explains the following symptoms of Lyme disease in dogs:

Dogs with Lyme disease may develop swollen or enlarged lymph nodes.

Lyme disease can lead to lameness in dogs, which shows as limping or avoiding bearing weight on certain limbs. It may switch from one leg to another, and it often occurs off and on.

Because Lyme disease can cause joint inflammation, your dog may experience discomfort, stiffness and joint pain.

Signs of joint pain include:

• Difficulty standing up
• Reluctance to move
• Vocalization when you touch them in particular areas

Signs of fever include:

• Shivering
• Red eyes
• Coughing
• Lethargy
• Loss of appetite

What’s more, Amy Attas, VMD, founder of City Pets Vets in Manhattan, New York, and author of “Pets and the City: True Tales of a Manhattan House Call Veterinarian,” adds that Lyme disease can progress and affect other body systems, including:

• Heart: Though rare to have Lyme-induced heart damage, signs of cardiac involvement include lethargy, fainting and collapse, and a cough.
• Kidneys: Called Lyme nephritis, signs include lack of appetite, vomiting, weight loss, increased thirst and urination, and more. Dogs can experience kidney failure.
• Nervous system: Signs include facial paralysis and seizure disorders.

Many antibiotics are effective against the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, and commonly used antibiotics include:

1. Oral doxycycline
2. Oral amoxicillin
3. Injectable cefovecin

Although oral doxycycline is not an FDA-approved animal drug, veterinarians can prescribe certain human drugs in animals in specific circumstances. This is called extra-label or off-label use because the drug is being used in a way other than what is described on the drug label. Your veterinarian will determine which medication is right for each pet’s circumstances.

“The type of antibiotic … and the course is determined by the severity of the disease and what part of the body is affected,” says Dr. Attas. Milder cases are generally treated with antibiotics at home, says Dr. Attas, while more serious cases involving the nervous system are usually treated with IV antibiotics at a pet hospital, often in the ICU. Cases involving Lyme nephritis must also be treated with IV fluids and medications in the hospital to address the kidney disease, according to Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Beyond treating the Lyme disease itself, vets also address the problems it can cause for your dog.

Dr. Attas says pain medications including NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are often given to dogs who have joint pain. Additionally, dogs who have a fever or otherwise feel unwell often require supportive care.

Your vet will determine the best treatment for your dog.

“Lyme is a preventable disease,” says Dr. Attas. “It is transmitted through a tick bite, so it is important to reduce the chances of tick bites.”

She recommends taking the following prevention measures to lower the likelihood of your dog contracting Lyme disease.

“There are a multitude of effective tick control products … to both repel and kill ticks before they have a chance to bite,” Dr. Attas says. Options include topical treatments and oral treatments. Your vet will determine the best tick prevention for your dog.

Make your yard inhospitable to ticks by keeping the lawn cut short and clearing the area of leaves, brush and tall grass, says Dr. Attas.

Learn more about how to manage and prevent ticks in your yard.

It’s best not to take your dog to places where there’s a high risk of encountering ticks, such as wooded areas or places with tall grass, says Dr. Attas. Instead, stick to paths or trails.

“If that is not possible, do a rigorous brushing after they are in that kind of environment to loosen any ticks that may have gotten onto the dog before they attach,” she says.

For dogs who venture outdoors and have access to areas where ticks live, check them for ticks daily. Dr. Attas says you should pay particular attention to the areas where ticks tend to attach the most:

• Ears
• Neck
• Mouth
• Underarms
• Toes
• Base of tail and groin
• Eyelids

If you find one of these pesky parasites on your pup, remove it with fine point tweezers immediately. “Do not use Vaseline or apply a lit match to the tick before removing it,” cautions Dr. Attas, because doing so “may hasten the transfer of the Lyme bacteria.”

Watch our Chewtorial on how to remove a tick from a dog.

Can a dog recover from Lyme disease?

Yes, your dog can recover from Lyme disease. “The earlier the disease is detected, the easier the treatment,” says Dr. Attas. “Antibiotics are usually recommended and are important for treatment.”

What are the first signs of Lyme disease in a dog?

The signs of Lyme disease in dogs include enlarged or swollen lymph nodes, lameness, joint pain and fever.

What happens if my dog tested positive for Lyme disease?

If your dog’s blood test comes back positive for Lyme antibodies, it doesn’t necessarily mean they have Lyme disease, says Dr. Attas. Your dog can have a positive antibody test if they develop an antibody response to being bitten by a tick without actually becoming sick themselves. In this case, they don’t need treatment.

If they’re symptomatic, however, Dr. Attas says they should begin antibiotic treatment. Your vet may monitor your dog’s antibody levels to measure their response to the antibiotics.

Additionally, “dogs who test positive on a blood test should have their urine tested for protein, as this is a good indicator if the patient has developed Lyme nephritis, which can be asymptomatic,” Dr. Attas says.

What are the three stages of Lyme disease?

“Untreated Lyme disease may proceed through three phases,” says Dr. Attas:

1. Stage 1 (localized): Occurs following a tick bite on the dog. They may show shifting leg lameness, fever and loss of appetite.
2. Stage 2 (disseminated): The dog may experience additional issues, such as chronic inflammation of their joints, which can lead to arthritis.
3. Stage 3 (persistent/chronic): The dog may develop kidney disease, nervous system symptoms, cardiac issues and more.

Is there a cure for Lyme disease in dogs?

Yes, with “prompt detections and treatment with antibiotics,” your dog can be cured of Lyme disease, says Dr. Attas.

Should your dog get the Lyme disease vaccine?

There are safe and effective Lyme vaccines for dogs, Dr. Attas says. You should talk to your vet to determine whether your dog should have a Lyme disease vaccine, particularly if you live in an endemic area or you travel to one with your dog.

Dr. Attas cautions that while vaccines exist for Lyme disease, it isn’t the only tick-borne disease dogs can contract. Others, such as ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and anaplasmosis (caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum), don’t have vaccines, so it’s important to prevent tick bites in the first place.

When it comes to Lyme disease in dogs, knowing how to prevent it and what symptoms to keep an eye out for are your best bet. It’s also worth knowing when tick season takes place in your state.

Expert input provided by: Gerald Buchoff, BVScAH, veterinarian at Longevity Veterinary Center in Whippany, New Jersey; and Amy Attas,VMD, founder of City Pets Vets in Manhattan, New York, and author of “Pets and the City: True Tales of a Manhattan House Call Veterinarian.”

This content was medically reviewed by a veterinarian.