Tick on My Dog

In contrast to human cases of Lyme disease, symptoms in dogs present primarily as acute or subacute arthritis and may be transient or recurrent. ​

Lyme disease in dogs is usually limited to joints and causes listlessness. More severe, rare cases can affect the heart, kidney, or brain.​

Dogs show sudden lameness and sometimes signs of severe pain. One or more joints may be involved. Joints are often swollen, warm to the touch, and painful upon manipulation. Dogs may have fever and lethargy, or experience changes in appetite. Lameness may recur after a period of recovery lasting several weeks and occurs an average of two to five months after tick exposure.​

Skin rashes (erythema chronica migrans) typically seen as an early symptom in humans, is rarely found in dogs. Some symptoms associated with the later stages of Lyme disease in humans have also been reported in rare instances in dogs. They include heart block, kidney failure, and neurological changes such as seizures, aggression, and other behavior changes.​

If you find a tick on your pet, carefully remove the tick and send it to us for identification and testing.