Lyme Disease in Dogs

What is Lyme disease?

Lyme disease is caused by spirochetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex. In Europe, they are transmitted by the common wood tick (Ixodes ricinus); the bacteria are transferred to the host during the tick’s feeding period, which can last from several hours to several days. Upon the bite, the spirochetes spread through the tissue and can reach various organ systems.

Transmission by Ticks

Recent studies show that in Germany, up to 30% of castor ticks (Ixodes ricinus) test positive for Borrelia. Animals living in tick-infested habitats, in particular, can become infected multiple times each year. In the early stages, borreliosis is difficult to detect; in many cases, a possible Borrelia infection is not even considered. Possible symptoms such as fatigue, loss of appetite, bouts of fever, and joint inflammation may indicate many different conditions. Severe cases of Lyme disease can lead to organ damage, particularly to the kidneys; in rare cases, movement disorders have also been observed.

Symptoms of Lyme disease in dogs

In dogs, the majority of infections are subclinical. If clinical disease occurs, the main symptoms include lameness due to polyarthritis, painful and swollen joints, fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, and swollen lymph nodes. A rare but severe form of the disease is Lyme nephropathy, characterized by proteinuria and progressive kidney damage. Since other Ixodes-borne pathogens, such as Anaplasma phagocytophilum, can cause a similar clinical picture and co-infections may occur, these pathogens must be considered in the differential diagnosis.

Lyme Disease Testing in Dogs

The clinical signs are nonspecific, and there is no pathognomonic feature. The detection of specific antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato therefore serves as a supplement to the clinical diagnosis: In endemic areas, a significant proportion of dogs are exposed and seropositive without developing clinical disease; therefore, a positive antibody result must always be evaluated in the clinical context and with consideration of other causes.

The Fassisi® LymeBo detects antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi in serum, plasma, or whole blood. Antibodies against Borrelia are also detected in the CanVecto 3 combination test alongside antibodies against Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Ehrlichia canis, which facilitates the simultaneous screening for relevant co-infections from a single sample in cases of tick-borne diseases.

References are listed on the References page.