Lyme disease in dogs can progress to severe protein-losing nephropathy in genetically susceptible breeds, requiring long-term monitoring after treatment to detect and manage this potentially fatal complication.
The welfare threat of Lyme disease is concentrated in the small percentage of dogs that develop nephritis - a severe, progressive kidney disease that causes protein loss, edema, and ultimately kidney failure. The frustrating aspect is that dogs who respond well to doxycycline treatment may appear completely recovered while early nephritis develops subclinically. Annual urine protein monitoring in dogs living in endemic areas provides the surveillance needed to detect this complication before clinical signs appear, allowing intervention at a more treatable stage.