Treating a straightforward case of Lyme disease in a dog typically costs between $200 and $500 in total, covering the diagnostic test, a four-week course of antibiotics, and a follow-up visit. That range can climb to $1,000 or more if your dog develops complications like kidney problems or severe joint inflammation that require additional testing and medication.
Diagnostic Testing
Most veterinary clinics use an in-office screening test (commonly called a SNAP 4Dx Plus) that checks for Lyme antibodies along with a few other tick-borne infections. The test itself runs around $35 at a diagnostic lab, though your vet’s pricing will include the office visit and interpretation. Expect to pay $75 to $200 total for the appointment and screening, depending on your location and clinic.
If the screening comes back positive and your dog is showing symptoms like lameness, fever, or swollen joints, your vet will likely recommend bloodwork and a urinalysis to check kidney function before starting treatment. Those additional tests can add $100 to $250 to the initial visit.
The Cost of Antibiotics
The standard treatment is a four-week course of doxycycline, given twice daily. Amoxicillin, given three times daily, is the main alternative. Both are generic antibiotics, which keeps costs relatively low compared to many veterinary medications.
Doxycycline 100 mg tablets retail for about $0.48 per pill through pet pharmacies, and sometimes less with auto-ship discounts. A medium-sized dog (around 50 pounds) taking two tablets per day for 28 days would need 56 pills, putting the medication cost in the $25 to $50 range. Larger dogs need higher doses, so a 90-pound dog could see that double. Pricing at your vet’s in-house pharmacy may be higher than online retailers, but many clinics will write a prescription you can fill elsewhere.
Amoxicillin is similarly affordable, often running $20 to $40 for a full course depending on your dog’s size.
Pain Management and Supportive Care
Dogs with noticeable joint pain or lameness often need an anti-inflammatory medication alongside the antibiotic. Veterinary anti-inflammatories like carprofen typically cost $30 to $60 for a month’s supply, again varying by your dog’s weight. Some dogs improve within days of starting antibiotics and don’t need pain relief for the full four weeks.
In rare cases where a dog is severely ill, not eating, or running a high fever, a day or two of inpatient care with IV fluids could push costs into the $500 to $1,500 range for hospitalization alone. This is uncommon for typical Lyme cases but worth knowing about.
Follow-Up Monitoring
Here’s where costs can quietly add up. Even after successful treatment, dogs that test positive for Lyme should be screened for protein in the urine roughly every four months for the first year after diagnosis. This monitoring catches a serious complication called Lyme nephritis, a form of kidney disease, early enough to intervene.
Each of these check-ups involves a urinalysis ($25 to $75) and possibly a brief exam fee. Over the course of a year, three follow-up screenings might add $150 to $300 to the total. Many dog owners don’t anticipate these ongoing costs when they first hear the diagnosis, but the monitoring is important. Kidney complications are rare, but when they occur, they can be life-threatening and far more expensive to manage.
What About Dogs That Test Positive but Seem Fine?
A significant number of dogs that test positive for Lyme antibodies never show any symptoms. If your dog falls into this category, your vet will likely skip antibiotics entirely. The current approach is to monitor these asymptomatic dogs with urine tests every four months for a year, the same schedule as treated dogs. That means your costs may only be the initial test plus three follow-up urinalyses, totaling $200 to $400 for the year. No antibiotics, no pain medication.
Prevention Costs for Comparison
Year-round tick prevention for a dog averages about $185 annually, according to ASPCA estimates. That covers combination products protecting against fleas, ticks, and often heartworm. Compared to even a mild Lyme case costing $200 to $500 in treatment plus $150 to $300 in follow-up monitoring, prevention is consistently cheaper. A Lyme vaccine is also available and typically runs $25 to $40 per dose, with an initial series of two shots followed by annual boosters.
When you factor in the year of follow-up testing, a single Lyme infection realistically costs most owners $400 to $800 all in. Prevention at $185 to $250 a year (including a vaccine if your vet recommends one) pays for itself the first time it keeps your dog from getting infected.