Lyme borreliosis in dogs
Overduin, L.M.; van den Bogaard, A.E.
Tijdschrift Voor Diergeneeskunde 122(1): 7-9
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0040-7453 PMID: 9012011 Document Number: 469739
In a 2-year-old Bernese Mountain dog the diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis was made, using the criteria that are mentioned in the literature: seropositivity in the presence of the typical clinical symptoms, with infestation of ticks in the history. The usual therapy of amoxycillin or tetracyclines was inadequate and did not resolve the clinical symptoms, possibly as a result of a combination of initial corticosteroid therapy, the clinical presentation of the disease (mainly meningitis), and a presumed immuno-incompetence often seen in this breed. Intravenous treatment with amoxycillin finally led to total cure of the disease. Lyme borreliosis recurred half a year later, presumably as a result of a new tick infestation. A review of the literature on Lyme borreliosis in humans and dogs is presented. The fact that Lyme borreliosis in dogs in the Netherlands has not been diagnosed often and has not been reported before may be due to differences in approach to human and canine patients with fever.