What are your experiences with lyme disease?

[misterW]

My dog was diagnosed a little over a month ago. Her symptoms were probably related to something else that was going around (one of the dogs she plays with got it soon after) but I had her tested and she the test came back as a "weak positive." Not terribly surprising; we're in the woods all the time. The vet says that would indicate she had just contracted it or had nearly recovered on her own. In any case, she's been through a month of antibiotics. I've been watching her pretty closely. Not seeing any limping, but her energy is maybe slightly low? Still has plenty of energy when we walk, but doesn't drive me crazy to get going as she sometimes does. I could be overanalyzing things.

In any event, what have your experiences been?

[spiritsmom]

My parents' dogs have Lyme and they really haven't been too bad with it. All did the 30 days of doxycycline and Monty is really the only one who will occasionally start limping again so then when he does the vet puts him back on antibiotics. Other than that we haven't had anything else go wrong.

[LisaT]

If you did a Snap test to test for Lyme, there is no such thing as "weak positive", it can only give you a yes or no answer. The proper follow-up to a positive Snap would be to run Idexx's C6 test, or the newer multiplex out by Cornell.

Lyme vaccination of a dog that has been exposed to Lyme is considered dangerous by many vets. Steroid use by any dog that has been exposed to lyme is also dangerous and the dog should be put on antibiotics if this is ever needed.

On the tick list, we recommend aggressive treatment. If doxycycline is used, 5 mg/lb for 8 weeks. If amoxicillin is used, about twice the dosage. We also recommend running tests through Protatek Lab for other tick infections, as coinfections are very common. A blood panel and urinalysis is important, in some dogs, Lyme will damage the kidneys. Monitoring for kidney damage from chronic lyme should be done at periodic intervals, as, in some dogs, kidney damage can be the only symptom.

Lyme is often chronic, and at best we hope to knock it into submission. Dogs with a history of Lyme may have a strong enough immune system to keep it in check. However, in some dogs, it can create weird symptoms, from skin issues, to thyroid issues, to pancreas issues, etc.

[Lesley1905]

Glad your pup is doing ok! I know the symptoms of Lymes sometimes dont come about until a couple months after the initial bite of a tick. Did your vet check your dogs kidney levels? That's the scary one. It can take a toll on the kidneys.
It's hard not to overanalyze things when you know something has happened to your dog. I've been guilty of that myself!

[kiya]

I have been battleing ticks and all of thier diseases all of my life. I was diagnosed positive for Lymes disease in 2003. I was even in a study for the vaccine for humans, obviously it didn't work. I always gave my dogs the vaccine as well. I stopped giving the vaccine to the dogs around 2005 or 2006 becuase they also tested positive. Both Apache & Kiya were treated with doxy. Once your positive you will always be positive so titers must be done. I get a full tick panel and lyme seems to stay in check but now they always seem to positive for erlichia (sp). I had a feeling that the previous vet I was using wasn't treating agressively enough. I went to a new vet last winter when my oldest dog was sick (unrelated to ticks) and we ended up doing a tick panel, positive for erlichia. I had Kiya retested last spring becuase she seemed symtomatic (limping for no apparent reason), positive for erlichia. Finally I felt that my new vet prescribed a dosage that was definately strong enough both times. She believes in the vaccine, I trust her, so Lakota has been vacinated. Apache was "clean" this summer so she gave him the vaccine as well to prevent new infection.
I have no faith in any product out there to keep ticks off or kill them, I've tried them all. I always said I would never stop or change my way of life becuase of ticks...until last summer. I stopped taking the dogs in the trails while ticks are active. Unfortuantely I have all kinds of wildlife crossing my property leaving ticks so I continue to use Advantix and check the dogs & cats.
As long as you treat and test periodically you should not have a problem.

[LisaT]

Information on the Lyme vaccine:

Ticks and Tick Diseases - GermanShepherdHome.net


It's a dangerous vaccine, and not terribly effective

[WinnieHank]

My female GSD was just diagnosed with Ehrlickia Canis and is very very ill.. How long does it take for Doxy to start working or to see signs of improvement?

[LisaT]

Originally Posted by WinnieHank

My female GSD was just diagnosed with Ehrlickia Canis and is very very ill.. How long does it take for Doxy to start working or to see signs of improvement?

Ehrlichia will take longer to respond, and it depends on exactly how ill she is, and how low her blood counts and platelets are. If they are too low, other meds have to be added.

For Ehrlichia, the aggressive dose that they recommend for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is what we recommend on the tick list. Conservative dose is 5 mg/lb total for the day, in two divided doses. Aggressive dose is twice that, 5 mg/lb twice a day. You will want to always give with food, and combine with things to help the stomach.

[Lesley1905]

Originally Posted by LisaT

Information on the Lyme vaccine:

Ticks and Tick Diseases - GermanShepherdHome.net


It's a dangerous vaccine, and not terribly effective

My boss has told me the same thing, that it's not that effective. We live in Florida so its not as big of an issue as northern states. We do go to N. Carolina a couple times of year. I thought about having them vaccinated, until she informed me that it's really not worth the trouble.

[Jax08]

A vet told me the same thing. Not effective, horrible side affects and to just use preventatives like Advantix.