karmadogs.org Blog

Bruno, the smallest Karma Dog, recently collapsed while walking with his owner. Rushed to the vet, it was determined he had Lymes Disease. Usually transmitted by the Deertick, Lymes is a rapidly advancing disease spread by infected ticks. If it is not treated very quickly, this can be fatal in pets (and sadly, in humans as well).

How can you protect your pet? Use a topical product like Frontline PLUS or  Advantix and if you live in a wooded area or spend a lot of time outside, have your dog vaccinated against lymes disease. Bruno was vaccinated and used the topical product, which leads his vet to think that there are some very medicine resistant strains in the area. Luckily, using an antibiotic like tetracycline can usually clear things up.

How can you tell if you dog may have Lymes Disease? If you dog is suddenly limping or unable to walk, usually because of one leg, has swollen lymph nodes or a fever, you should visit the vet right away. Most of the time, this can be treated and the dog can expect to make a full recovery. However, delaying treatment can be fatal. So when in doubt, visit the vet!