Lyme disease is an infectious disease transmitted by ticks. In addition to wild animals and rodents, it also affects dogs and humans.
In Germany, around one in four ticks is infected with borrelia and transmits the bacteria when sucking blood, but only after several hours. The most important preventative measure is therefore to check animals for ticks, e.g. after a walk in heavily infested areas or after going outside. Dogs should be protected against tick infestation with appropriate products (spot-ons, tick collars).
The infection begins with a slow reddening around the bite site, which is usually not noticeable in the dog. The main signs are joint and muscle pain, later occasionally also neurological disorders. Most affected animals undergo a silent infection, which initially proceeds without clinical symptoms. However, chronic joint problems can develop as a late consequence or with repeated infections.
There is a blood test for Lyme disease, but it is not very reliable, as the titer of a previous silent infection can lead to false (positive) results. In unclear cases, it often makes more sense to treat on suspicion. Sick animals usually respond well to two to four weeks of antibiotic treatment. A vaccination for dogs is available, but its effectiveness is controversial.