copulate with monthly flea and tick prevention , the Lyme vaccinum can add an special crease of defense lawyers for your weenie .
unhappily , an itchy sore is n’t the spoiled matter a tick bite can leave behind . Tick - transmitted disease can have far more serious and long - go consequences in our furry Friend .
Lyme diseaseis one such illness that can pass fromticks to dogs , and it ’s prevalence is growing in the United States , threatening not only dogs , but other animals and mass too . And while class - round flea and check command is the first rail line of defense against check - borne disease , dogs who are more potential to be exposed ground on their lifestyle and geographical emplacement can add a secondment : the Lyme vaccinum .
Photo: Noel Hendrickson / Getty
What Is Lyme Disease?
Lyme disease is stimulate by a bacterial infection withBorrelia burgdorferi , in the first place , and sometimesBorrelia mayonii . TheMerck Veterinary Manualsays that in the United States , these helical - shaped bacterium are most often channel to hound through the saliva ofdeer ticks(Ixodes scapularis ) , also called smutty - legged check mark , in the Northeast and upper Midwest . The western dim - legged tick ( genus Ixodes pacificus ) is the primarytype of tickthat transmit Lyme on the West Coast .
Merck explain that dogs infect with Lyme disease may not show any planetary house of illness but can experience symptom like :
If left untreated , Lyme disease can lead to kidney , unquiet organisation , and pump wrong . And while antibiotic can be an effective treatment , some dogs experience biography - long joint pain sensation .
Does My Dog Need the Lyme Vaccine?
canid vaccinesare divide into two categories : kernel and noncore . Core vaccine are recommended for all dogs and include :
Noncore vaccinum are recommend found on a dog ’s exposure risk due to their geographical locating and lifestyle .
The Lyme vaccine belongs to the latter category , and with infection on the lift across the U.S. ( a style that ’s improbable to slow down ) , this noncore vaccine is an important condition for every dog owner . " Because this disease is spread by ticking , detent that bump these insect are the most probable to constrict the disease , " explains Laura Bailey , DVM , carbon monoxide - owner ofBridges Professional Park Animal Hospitalin Morehead City , N.C. " For this reason , farm dogs , hunting dog , and dogs who go with their owners onhikesare the obvious candidate for this vaccine . " However , she adds that blackguard can play tick - transmitted diseases in their own backyard or on a walk through the neighborhood — a reality that is especially truthful in areas where Lyme is endemical , like the Northeastern region of the U.S.
A veterinarian who know your pet ’s history and lifestyle is in the best position to give notice you on whether or not your dog is a good candidate for the Lyme vaccine . " While it ’s rarely a bad estimate to get this vaccinum if living in an sphere where the disease is prevalent , " Bailey excuse , " dogs who have a chronicle of vaccine reaction or autoimmune diseases who do n’t survive in a mellow - hazard realm of the U.S. may not need the crack . " However , theAmerican Animal Hospital Associationadds that the vaccinum may be designate in dogs traveling from abject - risk to high - risk neighborhood of the state .
How Effective Is the Lyme Disease Vaccine for Dogs?
The Lyme vaccine for dogs is n’t 100 pct effective . However , Bailey observe that as a general convention , a bounder that sign the disease after being vaccinated will likely have less severe symptom .
Breakthrough infections are only one reason to keep your bounder monthly flea and check preventives — even if your blackguard has been inoculate against Lyme disease . " Lyme Disease is one of the few tick - hold diseases that we have a vaccine for , " Bailey explains . " There are many others we do n’t yet have a vaccinum for , such asehrlichiosis , Rocky Mountain spotted fever , andanaplasmosis , that can be fatal . Moreover , these preventative also coverfleas , which are not only miserably uncomfortable for our pets , but can lead to skin problems and run diseases , as well . "
Lyme Vaccine Side Effects
Because the Lyme vaccine triggers an immune system reaction , meek side effect are normal . These include balmy fever , swelling and soreness at the injectant site , loss of appetite , and tiredness and typically go away within 24 to 48 hours .
" As with any vaccine anallergic reactionis always potential , though rare , " Bailey says . " This most ordinarily includesvomiting , looseness of the bowels , or facial swelling . More severe symptoms are potential but even less common . " If you see sign of an allergic chemical reaction in your hot dog , immediately contact your veterinarian .
If your veterinary recommends the Lyme vaccine for your weenie , you could discourse the possible reactions to determine whether the endangerment preponderate the benefits .
Lyme Vaccine Schedule for Dogs
According toAmerican Animal Hospital Associationguidelines , two initial doses are devote 2 to 4 workweek apart and the first venereal disease can be given as former as 8 or 9 weeks of age . If the dog remains at hazard of exposure , they should be break a individual dose one class after completing the initial two - Lucy in the sky with diamonds series and then annually thereafter .
If your veterinarian urge vaccinating your dog before move from a low - risk to a gamey - risk area , your dog will get the same two initial doses 2 to 4 weeks aside . The 2nd dose should be given 2 to 4 workweek before your trip .
How Much Does the Lyme Vaccine for Dogs Cost?
While the toll of the Lyme vaccine will vary by veterinary clinic , it typically costs between $ 20 and $ 40 per shot . you’re able to call your veterinary clinic to learn the accurate toll before form an appointment .
