Lyme Symptoms in Animals

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection carried by ticks and can be transmitted to humans and animals. When a tick attaches itself to an animal it bites and transmits the disease, which affects the animal in different ways. As a pet owner it's important to recognize Lyme disease symptoms to ensure your pet stays healthy.

  1. Initial Symptoms

    • When your pet is initially infected by Lyme disease, some symptoms may include a mild fever, depression, fatigue, aching joints and muscles and a reduced appetite. However, not all animals will exhibit these symptoms.

    Joint Problems

    • Joint pain is often a tell-tale Lyme disease symptom. Joint pain in one or more of the legs can cause lameness in the animal. Animals will feel stiff and often have difficulty moving or refuse to move at all.

    Rash

    • Another symptom is a skin rash known as erythema migrams or EM. This rash can occur on the bite itself or other areas of the body. Animals with heavy fur may have a rash that goes undetected.

    Swollen Lymph Nodes

    • Similar to humans, when an animal is sick their lymph nodes will swell. Have a veterinarian check for swollen lymph nodes on your animal if you suspect it's ill.

    Neurological Issues

    • In horses, neurological issues have been associated with a Lyme disease infection. Some of these can include head tilting, problems swallowing and wandering. This is due to inflammation of the nervous system from the Lyme infection that can cause other conditions such as encephalitis (swelling of the brain).

    Organ Failure

    • After prolonged exposure to the disease some animals can encounter kidney or heart failure. These take months to present in the animal and are caused when the condition goes untreated.