[Dailydrool] Lyme Vaccine

[Laura Tancredi]

The titer for the lyme vaccine is not as long as vaccines for viruses.  Since Borellia burgdoferi is a bacteria that causes lyme disease the immune system does not develop a long term immune response after 1 yr.  It has been difficult to develop a lyme vaccine that is more effective (currently 70 - 80%) because the bacteria expresses different proteins in the dog's body than in the tick.  Currently the vaccines available will kill the bacteria in the tick.  Since the tick needs 24 - 48 hrs of feeding to transmit the disease and involves ingesting blood the idea is the blood will have antibodies against the bacteria, will go into the tick, and attack the bacteria in the tick.  This does happen but it isn't as good an immune response as a foreign substance entering the animal and the immune system attacking.  NY, NJ and PA are the top three states for human and dog lyme disease diagnoses.  Philadelphia area is number 1.  Having said that I don't vaccinate
 my dogs for Lyme.  I am super on top of Frontline every 30 days and we haven't had any problems.  
I hope this helps. 
Laura 
Flash 
and Ryu