Astasia and pyrexia related to Borrelia garinii infection in two dogs in Hokkaido, Japan.

Two dogs that exhibited sudden astasia, anorexia and fever higher than 40°C were suspected of having Lyme disease in July 2011. Clinical symptoms gradually improved with antibiotic treatment in both cases. Polymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis revealed Borrelia garinii DNA fragments in the peripheral blood in the acute disease phase.