Lyme Disease in Gundogs

Lyme Disease is caused by a spirochete called Borrelia. A spirochete is a type of bacterium. It is transmitted to gundogs through the bite of a tick. The feeding tick is basically a blood sucker. It must keep its host’s blood from clotting in order to continue sucking so it is able to regurgitate assorted enzymes to keep the blood flow liquid and smooth. It is during this regurgitation process that the Lyme spirochete is brought up from the tick’s midgut to its mouthparts. This process requires a minimum of 48 hours which means that if the tick is removed within 48 hours of attachment, the spirochete cannot be transmitted and the host will not get the disease. Once in the blood stream, it is carried to many parts of the dog's body. It is especially likely to localize in joints read more on symptons and treatment