What are the signs of Lyme Disease?
In high risk areas 75% of dogs may be exposed, but based on blood tests, only 5-10% develop clinical signs. Clinical signs are usually related to host reaction to the organism rather than damage caused by the spirochete directly. In dogs, clinical signs develop 2-5 months after tick exposure, especially in young or immuno-compromised patients. Initially, one may see fever, shifting leg lameness, swollen joints, enlarged lymph nodes, loss of appetite and general malaise. Later, arthritis develops in multiple joints. Kidney failure may develop due to irreversible damage to the kidney filters, causing loss of appetite, vomiting, lethargy, weight loss, swollen legs, fluid accumulating in the body cavities, and death. Other reported symptoms include rheumatoid arthritis, neurological dysfunction, and inflammation of the heart muscle. In cats, arthritis and meningitis are the most frequently seen symptoms. In humans, the joints, brain and heart are target organs for the disease.
