a warning links unusual dog aggression to the dog's having been bitten by an infected deer tick carrying Lyme disease. see http://www.health.state.ri.us/disease/communicable/lyme/pets.php
for an overview of Lyme disease in dogs, also called borreliosis. symptoms in a dog, the symptoms include unusual aggression, confusion and overeating. joint pain can also be noticed. Lyme disease in dogs can also cause a host of neurological illnesses, kidney problems and arthritis-like joint pain symptoms in dogs, just like humans. the lyme disease spirochetes can stay asymptomatic in a dog for 2 to 6 months after the dog is bitten by an infected deer tick.

a recent book, Dogs of DreamTime, by Karen Shanley, described a perfectly beautiful and peaceful border collie owned by her family. for no apparent reason, their dog went crazy and bit his owner very badly. this book described her dog's descent to madness and noted the link between unusual dog aggression and Lyme disease.

it is really important for dog owners to check their dogs daily to remove any attached deer ticks. the female deer tick bites the dog and stays feeding on it for up to 12 hours, feeding on dog's blood and transferring to the dog the bacteria which cause Lyme diesease. the attached deer tick looks like a brown 'pencil eraser.' the longer the tick feeds on the dog, the more Lyme spirochetes get poured into the dog's blood. an owner's getting the tick off promptly interrupts the feeding cycle and may prevent the disease. unfortunately the symptoms of Lyme can appear 2 to 5 months after the initial bite. (But dogs vaccinated against Lyme disease occasionally have dreadful and life threatening reactions to the vaccine itself. ) monthly treatment with Advantage or Frontline apparently provides some protection against Lyme disease . A vet can send the dog's blood to be checked for heightened immune response secondary to Lyme disease if strange joint pain or kidney issues start to be observed.

my beautiful GSD had been bitten by a deer tick which i thought i got off in time. i now suspect i did not. a twice daily tick check is now part of my training regiment.


Caroline Mitchell 412-422-3013