Volume: 5, 2026
5th International PhD Students’ Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland:
ENVIRONMENT – PLANT – ANIMAL – PRODUCT
Abstract number: A030
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL5.A030
Published online: 22 April 2026
Clinical course of borreliosis in Bernese Mountain Dogs – own observation
Maria Pisarek*1, Piotr Dębiak2, Stanisław Winiarczyk1, Banu Dokuzeylül3 and Łukasz Adaszek1
1 Department of Epizootiology and Clinic of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 30 Głęboka St., 20-612 Lublin, Poland
2 Clinic of Animal Surgery, Laboratory of Radiology and Ultrasonography, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 30 Głęboka St.,
20-612 Lublin, Poland
3 Department of Internal Medicine, Veterinary Faculty, Istanbul University- Cerrahpaşa, 34500 İstanbul, Turkey
* Corresponding author: maria.pisarek@up.edu.pl
The aim of this study was to perform a retrospective analysis of cases of Lyme borreliosis in Bernese Mountain Dogs (BMDs) in Poland. The observations were conducted on 111 Bernese Mountain Dogs with Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies detected in their serum. Clinical symptoms suggestive of Lyme disease were noted in 54 animals (group 1), while the remaining 57 dogs (group 2) were clinically healthy. PCR testing detected the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi DNA in the blood and synovial fluid of 4 dogs that showed symptoms of apathy, fever, urination disorders and lameness, in the blood and joint fluid of 25 animals that showed symptoms of apathy, fever and lameness, and in the blood of 2 dogs that showed symptoms of apathy, fever and enlarged lymph nodes. No Borrelia genetic material was found in the blood of any of the dogs showing no clinical symptoms, or in the blood of 23 dogs showing symptoms suggestive of Lyme disease.
The presented observations indicate that BMDs can be infected with Borrelia spirochaetes and develop full-blown Lyme disease. Its diagnosis, however, should be supported not only by standard serological testing but also by PCR or Western blot testing. The presence of antibodies reacting with spirochaete antigens in a significant percentage of the BMD population indicates a high risk of overdiagnosing Lyme disease in this breed.
Keywords: Borrelia burgdorferi; Bernese Mountain Dog; ELISA; PCR
How to cite
Pisarek M., Dębiak P., Winiarczyk S., Dokuzeylül B., Adaszek Ł., 2026. Clinical course of borreliosis in Bernese Mountain Dogs – own observation. In: 5th International PhD Students’ Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland: Environment – Plant – Animal – Product. https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL5.A030