Horse Lyme Disease Recognition and Management

Lyme disease in horses, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi transmitted by ticks, presents with varied and often non-specific symptoms that make timely diagnosis and management challenging.

Key Facts

Horses are exposed to Lyme disease in tick-endemic regions and can develop clinical illness, though many seropositive horses show no signs.
Clinical signs include shifting leg lameness, lethargy, muscle tenderness, behavioural changes, and in rare cases neurological signs.
Diagnosis relies on serology, clinical signs, and exclusion of other causes; no single test is fully confirmatory.
Treatment with doxycycline or minocycline over 4-6 weeks is effective in most cases if started early.
Tick control through daily grooming checks, tick-repellent products, and pasture management reduces exposure risk.

Welfare Considerations

Lyme disease can cause prolonged, diffuse pain and discomfort that significantly affects a horse's quality of life and willingness to work. The shifting lameness and behavioural changes associated with the disease are often misattributed to training or tack issues, delaying appropriate diagnosis and treatment. Prompt veterinary assessment in tick-endemic areas reduces the duration of suffering considerably.

What You Can Do

Check your horse daily for ticks, particularly around the ears, mane, axilla, and groin.
Consult your vet about tick prevention products appropriate for horses in your region.
Request Lyme disease testing when a horse shows unexplained lameness or behavioural changes.
Implement pasture management strategies including maintaining short grass and avoiding woodland margins.