Should I have my dog vaccinated for Lyme disease?

Borrelia burgdorferi, a type of spirochete bacteria, causes Lyme disease. Common symptoms in dogs include fever, lethargy, shifting leg lameness, waxing and waning fever, loss of appetite, swollen lymph nodes, and swollen, warm, painful joints. Rarely, other organ systems such as the kidney are affected. The expanding circular rash that is commonly seen in people is not recognized in dogs.

The bacteria are transmitted to dogs (and people) by some types of ticks. In our area, we have Ixodes scapularis (also known as the deer or bear tick).

The tick larvae and nymphs tend to attach and feed on small rodents, like mice and squirrels. If the rodent is infected with B. burgdorferi, the tick will become infected and be able to spread the disease to later hosts during its life. In order to transmit the organism to a new host, a tick must be attached for more than 24-48 hours. Deer ticks find new hosts from low growing vegetation such as grass and weeds in unmowed or wooded areas.

The time from exposure to the bacteria to development of clinical symptoms seems to be quite variable. Some dogs present to a veterinarian within about a week of exposure, while other dogs have not had tick exposure for several months. Many dogs will not show clinical symptoms of Lyme disease even if they have been exposed to B. burgdorferi.

Lyme disease has been diagnosed in all of the 48 contiguous United States. The New England area and our Great Lakes area have some of the higher prevalence rates. Veterinarians in our vicinity diagnose Lyme disease on a regular basis.

According to the 2006 American Animal Hospital Association Canine Vaccine Guidelines, Lyme vaccine is considered a noncore vaccine. This means that the vaccine is "generally recommended only for use in dogs with a known high risk of exposure, living in or visiting regions where the risk of vector tick exposure is considered to be high, or where disease is known to be endemic."

It is preferable to vaccinate a dog against B. burgdorferi just prior to the start of the tick season. In our area, the tick season generally starts in April. Therefore, the best time to vaccinate starts now and runs through early April.

In Western Wisconsin, the disease is considered endemic. We also have high numbers of the appropriate type of ticks present. The lifestyle of the dog will suggest whether to vaccinate. If your dog lives in town and never goes to the country or other places to get ticks, the risk of exposure would be relatively low and the vaccine is generally not recommended. If your dog lives in the country, goes hunting, goes to the cabin, goes hiking or similar, the risk of exposure is significantly increased. Therefore, the vaccine would be recommended for your dog. Discuss your dog’s risk factors with your veterinarian.

With the increased risk of tick exposure, there are also risks of other diseases transmitted by ticks and increase risk of flea exposure. To help decrease risks for flea and tick infestations, a topical product should also be used. There are many products on the market, but some products are far superior to others. Speak with your veterinarian about which products they recommend.

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