Lymes Disease

[lmurr]

Does anyone have any information about treating a dog with lymes disease? My dog went through a series of tests today and one test came back positive for lymes disease. We are still waiting for more test results, but I would like to have some information about the treatment of lymes disease before going back to the vet tomorrow.

[Dixieland Dancer]

Has your dog ever been vaccinated for lymes? If they have then the test could come back positive for the disease when the dog really doesn't have it.

If your dog was never vaccinated and the test comes back positive then he probably does have it. They usually treat with antibiotics depending on how far the disease has spread. The antibiotic routine is quite lengthy, usually close to a month.

I was tested positive for lymes and was treated for 21 days with a very powerful antibiotic (sorry can't remember the name of it) almost two years ago. I have had no problems since. I was fortunate though that they caught it early.

Since then, I have my dogs vaccinated against lymes and use frontline on my dogs since it kills both fleas and ticks.

Your vet will give you all the info you need when you talk to him tomorrow. Best wishes!

[DoggiesAreTheBest]

I am so sorry to hear that your dog has lyme disease :(
Here are some links with infor about causes, treatment, and prevention:

Canine Lyme Disease (http://www.workingdogs.com/doc0043.htm)
Lyme Disease in Dogs (http://www.thepetcenter.com/gen/lyme.html)

http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/ClientED/images/map1.jpg

Also, don't hesitate to ask your vet all the questions you need to better understand the prognosis, treatment, and prevention. I use Advantage KillTix topical treatment to keep ticks off my dog and also have my vet give him a Lyme Disease vaccine.

Best of luck to you and your pooch. He will be on my mind.

[ownerof3dogs]

My dog Hercules had lyme Disease last spring. He was treated with 6 weeks of Doxycycline(sp?)and he has been fine. He never has ay syptoms either. It a good thing that where I live vets test for Lyme every year just like heart worm. In my area 80% of ticks have lyme.

I work at a animal hosp. And last year a dog came in that couldn't walk. We found out that he had lyme. So he was put on Doxy and the next week the dog came back to the hosp. walking. It was so amazing. His owner was so happy!

Hope this helps!

[lmurr]

Thank you all for your replys. Unfortunatly, lymes disease wasn't the worst of problems. Once all of the tests came back, we found that Bear was suffering from kidney failure and was put down later that day.

We miss him very much. He was 12 yearls old and adored by his two friends Cheyenne (Husky) and Spencer (golden retriever). We were able to be with him as they put him to sleep and brought him home to bury him in his favorite hunting place.

[ownerof3dogs]

I am so sorry to hear that

[tatsxxx11]

I'm so, so sorry to hear you lost your beautiful Bear:(:( I know my Jingles is welcoming your Bear there at the Rainbow Bridge and they and all of our beloved furkids are having a great time, running and playing, until we are together again. Bless you sweet Bear.