What now?
A blood test called a 4DX test should be run to determine if your dog has antibodies to one of the five tick-borne diseases (EhrliCanis, Ehrlichia ewingii, Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Anaplasma platys). In our area, the main concern is the organism that causes Lyme disease (Borrelia).
●This is best done 6 weeks after the tick was removed unless your dog has had multiple ticks previously
● If negative – discuss tick preventatives and possible vaccination for Lyme Disease
● If positive, an additional blood test (QC6 test) needs to be done. This is always done 6 weeks after the tick has been removed. This tells us how active the Lyme infection is. Tick preventatives can still be used to prevent further tick bites
● Is your dog sick? Treatment is started in ill dogs that are positive for the initial screening test
● After treatment is complete and your dog appears healthy, we repeat the QC6 test at the 6-month post-treatment mark to ensure the antibody levels have decreased.
Written by Hillcrest Animal Hospital
