How to protect your dog from Lyme disease?

0
82
How to protect your dog from Lyme disease?

Every climate has equal importance for life. Where summer brings a chance of making new memories with your loved ones, It also brings health issues with it such heat stroke or dehydration and if you are a dog owner, you must consider your dog’s health as well because they are more likely to catch Lyme disease in summers. Dogs are super active animals and love outdoor activities but do you know roaming outdoor in summers can increase their chance of attracting fleas and ticks which are the main reason behind catching Lyme disease. Creepiest crawlies like ticks and fleas are usually found in tall grass, bushes, thick brush or wood. Dogs with light and dusky color have more chances of catching ticks and fleas.  This bacterial illness is caused by ticks that are infected with bacteria named Borrelia burgdorferi. Small crawlies get infected by sucking on infested animals and once it nibs on your dog the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi gets into your dog’s bloodstream and cause Lyme disease.

Symptoms of Lyme disease:

Usually, young dogs catch Lyme disease quickly as compared to older dogs. The clinical symptoms of Lyme disease can be transitory or recurring lameness due to inflammation of joints. However, it may also cause fever, loss of appetite, swelling of joints and generalized discomfort. At rare Lyme disease can lead to kidney problems as inflammation in glomerulonephritis accompany dysfunction of kidney’s glomeruli which filters the blood. Weight loss, vomiting, increased urination and thirst are other indications that indicate you to take your dog to a vet.

How to protect your dog from Lyme disease? brown dog

Treatment of Lyme disease:

Antibiotics are used to treat Lyme disease. The course extends for four weeks to kill the bacteria completely however they can start showing immediate results by reducing Lyme disease symptoms.  Doxycycline is the common antibiotic that is used to treat Lyme disease. In addition to this you can give your dog an anti-inflammatory medicine to reduce pain especially if he is uncomfortable. Sometimes antibiotics prove to be insufficient to cure infections completely and symptoms may appear later. In such case look out for number count of proteins present in your dog’s urine, this may indicate whether or not your dog has kidney issues. If the kidney disease still presents, a longer course of antibiotics will be preferred.

How to protect your dog from Lyme disease? cleaners

Prevention from Lyme disease

To prevent any disease knowing the root cause behind it is most important thing. Lyme disease is usually caused by infected ticks therefore controlling is essential for inhabitation of Lyme disease and other tick transmitted diseases. You must check your dog on a daily basis for ticks and they should be removed as soon as possible. Other options to remove ticks from your dog are to use parasites or flea shampoo that will kill ticks and fleas that helps in killing the ticks and fleas. Another option you can opt for is to utilize a tick collar that releases a gas which helps to repel pests and insecticides. Another option you can choose apoquel alternatives which will help too

Vaccination for Lyme disease is debatable because the infection can be treated by antibiotics. However, endorsing vaccines might add into the kidney problems as a result they are not preferable.

Hope the above provided information will help you enjoy safe and healthy summer season with your pet dog.

Author Bio:

Wendy is a self-employed beauty therapist, mother of two; life-long pet parent and lover of dogs who somehow manages to squeeze in the time to satisfy another of her loves – writing. Wendy is the founder, main contributor to and editor of TotallyGoldens.com

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here