Lyme Disease is an infectious illness caused by a bacterium called Borrellia burgdorferi. It is spread by the bite of black-legged ticks (sometimes called “deer ticks.”) Although it can infect both cats and dogs—as well as humans—it is much more common in dogs than in cats.
The most common symptoms of the condition in dogs include swollen joints, fever, and lameness. If it is not treated in its early stages, Lyme Disease may progress to affect the nervous system, cardiovascular system and the kidneys. If you live in an area where the deer tick is common—or have visited such an area with your dog—and your dog is exhibiting one or more of these symptoms, take him for a visit to the veterinarian and ask about Lyme testing.
Lyme can be successfully treated using a number of common antibiotics. Early diagnosis is the key, however, to preventing any long-term health effects.
(For WebVet’s info sheets and FAQs on Lyme Disease in pets, and Ticks and pets, click here and here.)
Nobivac™ Lyme: Broader protection from a new vaccine
While there are many over-the-counter products—including the widely used spot-on flea and tick treatments—that will provide your dog with a significant degree of protection from ticks, you may want to consider Lyme Disease vaccination if you live in an area where Lyme-carrying ticks are widespread.
In a June 19, 2009 news release, the drug company Intervet/Schering Plough Animal Health (SGP) announced the launch of its new Lyme vaccine, Nobivac™ Lyme. Though not the only Lyme vaccine on the market, Nobivac™ Lyme represents an innovation that its manufacturer believes holds the promise of providing an enhanced degree of protection against Lyme Disease in dogs.
Terri Wasmoen, PhD, the Senior Director of Biological Research at ISP, explains the science behind Nobivac™ Lyme: “Earlier vaccines were based on inducing the production of antibodies [proteins produced by the immune system that neutralize bacteria and viruses] that bind to only one of the outer surface proteins of Borrellia, called outer surface protein A.” [Osp A].
But those vaccines attack the bacteria only while they are still inside the tick. If any of the bacteria escape this first line of defense and make it into the dog’s bloodstream, the older vaccines are of no use because the bacteria outsmart the antibodies by producing a different outer surface protein, Osp C, which the antibodies can’t recognize.
That’s where Nobivac™ Lyme is different. By inducing the production of antibodies to Osp C—as well as Osp A—it can kill the bacteria even after they have left the tick and entered the dog’s body, thereby providing a kind of “one-two punch.”
Should all dogs be vaccinated against Lyme?
Borellia-carrying ticks are endemic in certain areas of the country—the Northeast and Upper Midwest in particular—and present a significant risk of infection to exposed pets, but are uncommon in other areas. (For a map prepared by the animal health company, Merial, showing the numbers of Lyme infections nationwide as reported by over 6,000 veterinary clinics, click here.)
There is universal agreement in the veterinary community that Lyme Disease vaccine is not a so-called “core vaccine” that should be given to every dog. Whether it is appropriate for your dog depends on the prevalence of Lyme-infected ticks in your area as well as your dog’s lifestyle.
Brian Lucas, DVM, a veterinary internal medicine resident at the Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center of Kansas City, in Overland Park, KS, makes the point well: “There’s a difference between a Maltese living in a high rise in Chicago versus a Maine hunting dog that spends a lot of time outdoors in an area infested with deer ticks.” Lucas explains that there would be little justification for vaccination in the former case, but considerable reason to do so in the latter case.
So, what should I do?
If you live in a region of the country where Lyme-carrying deer ticks are widespread and your dog spends a good deal of time in grassy or wooded areas, vaccination may be advisable. If your dog is not likely to be exposed—whether because of geography or lifestyle—your vet will likely advise you not to vaccinate.
Though most animal vaccines are safe, vaccination is a medical procedure that always carries some risk of side effects. So, when you speak with your veterinarian about the advisability of Lyme vaccination for your dog, ask about the possibility of side effects and which vaccine s/he feels gives the best protection.
Don’t forget: it’s not just about Lyme!
Whether you opt for vaccination or not, it’s important to remember that Lyme Disease is not the only risk to dogs posed by tick bites. Other potentially serious—even life-threatening—tick-borne diseases that can affect dogs include Erlichiosis, Babesiosis, and Hepatozoonosis. Lyme vaccination will not prevent spread of these tick-borne diseases to your dog and is not a substitute for a comprehensive program of tick control, which may also include the use of a “spot-on” tick control product.
So, talk to your veterinarian about what approach to tick control is right for your dog, and make your decision an informed one.
Reviewed by Amy Attas, VMD
Originally published on WebVet
