Canine Lyme Disease and Dog Health

Of course you allow your puppy to play outside; your new friend and companion is energetic, curious, and downright rambunctious, and in order to healthily relieve all of that energy as well as get exercise and explore the world around them, sating their mental needs as well as their physical, you take your puppy for walks, play fetch, and just run around your property (or in a park). The truth is that all of this is great – and exactly what you should be doing! But, there are dangers out there facing your puppy, just as there are dangers facing any living being, especially a young, inexperienced, vulnerable one. In your puppy’s case, Lyme disease is an especially troubling danger.

Youth and Illness

Lyme disease, as you may know, is typically transmitted by a tick who has bit into your dog and really dug in, sucking blood over time; that connection allows the disease to be transferred into your dog’s bloodstream, where it goes to work. Dogs with Lyme disease have recurrent lameness in their limbs owing to regular inflammation of their joints, making it difficult for them to walk well. The lameness can last for a short period of time or for weeks, and it can move from limb to limb even. As you can imagine, this can seriously reduce the fun and enjoyment that your dog can have out of life; a puppy wants to run around, have fun, and get into all kinds of fun, but it’s hard to do that when your joints hurt and you can barely walk, much less run.

Other Symptoms

Lyme disease can also lead to kidney problems, which can in turn express itself as vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, and fluid buildup in their abdomen and other tissues such as under the legs and skin. Sensitive to touch, difficulty breathing, fever, and swollen lymph nodes are other symptoms of Lyme disease. As soon as you notice any of this, bring your dog into a qualified veterinarian to help get them the diagnosis and treatment they need!