Lyme disease in dogs requires prevention in endemic areas due to rare but serious complications including protein-losing nephropathy.
Most Lyme-infected dogs remain subclinical, but those developing lameness experience joint pain affecting mobility and normal activity. Lyme nephropathy causes fatal kidney failure with associated nausea and systemic illness. Prevention through vaccination and tick prevention is dramatically preferable to treating established disease. Early treatment of clinical Lyme prevents progression and resolves welfare impacts in the majority of cases.