Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook.pdf - Mr. Walnuts

70 •DOG OWNER’S HOME VETERINARY HANDBOOK
Treatment: Acutely ill dogs must be hospitalized for intensive veterinary
management. Dehydration is a serious concern, as is damage from toxins,
especially to the kidneys. It is important to maintain strict sanitary precautions
when handling infected stool.
Prevention: In humans, outbreaks of severe E. coli have occurred after eating
undercooked ground beef or contaminated vegetables. Good hygiene is
important here as well.
LYME DISEASE
Lyme disease is caused by the spirochete bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. The
spirochete is acquired through the bite of an infected tick. Lyme disease is
now regarded as the most common tick-borne illness in the United States.
This disease was first recognized in 1975, following an outbreak of what
appeared to be acute arthritis in several rural communities in southeastern
Connecticut, including the town of Old Lyme. Currently, most cases are
found in wooded locations in the Northeast, upper Midwest (including much
of Wisconsin and Minnesota), northern California, and the Pacific
Northwest.
The white-footed mouse is the principal reservoir for the spirochete. Birds
can also harbor it. The white-tailed deer supports the tick, but not the spirochete.
Lyme disease is spread primarily during tick season (May through
August), peaking in the month of July, but ticks can be active any time the
temperature is over 32°F (0°C).
The disease in dogs is most commonly
characterized by the sudden
onset of lameness. In fact, lameness is
often the only sign of infection. One
or more joints may become swollen
and painful to the touch. Some dogs
run a fever and experience weakness,
lethargy, loss of appetite, and weight
loss. The lameness may last only a few
days, but in some cases it becomes
chronic and persists or recurs for
months.
Kidney problems are the next most
common sign. An acute cardiac syndrome
is quite rare. Both of these syndromes
are usually fatal.
Check your dog daily for ticks during
tick season. This is an engorged female
tick on a dog.
Most dogs exposed to Lyme disease
do not become ill. Serological blood
tests will indicate whether a dog has