|
Welcome to the YorkieTalk.com Forums Community - the community for Yorkshire Terriers. You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. You will be able to chat with over 35,000 YorkieTalk members, read over 2,000,000 posted discussions, and view more than 15,000 Yorkie photos in the YorkieTalk Photo Gallery after you register. We would love to have you as a member! Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today! If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please click here to contact us. |
|
| LinkBack | Thread Tools |
04-14-2009, 07:53 AM | #1 |
No Longer a Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Littleton, NH
Posts: 463
| Lymes Disease I took Lola into the vet last week for her SNAP bloodwork before starting her on heartworm med (Interceptor). I got a call from the vet this morning. She fortunately came back negative for heart worm but positive for Lymes!! She's primarily an inside dog, has received the Lymes vaccine, and I've only ever found one tick on her and that was about a month ago. We still have snow in some places!! She will need to be on doxycycline for a month. He's checking to see what the proper dosage will be as she's only 9 pounds. Does anyone have any experience with Lymes Disease and what might be the side effects of being on doxycyline for so long? She's symptom free right now but he said that once it manifest she can go down hill fast physically re: pain, limping, soreness etc. He told me that up to 10% of the dogs he is testing this year are coming back positive. I have never had to start the Frontline/Interceptor in March! So just as a heads up....depending on where you live you may want to check with your vet. I'm in northern NH. |
Welcome Guest! | |
04-14-2009, 08:07 AM | #2 |
Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Connecticut
Posts: 759
| My first Yorkie Chipper had Lyme Disease 3 times. When he was 4 months old he got the Lyme vaccination and he was sick with Lyme Disease within the month. The vet said he probably already had the disease before the vaccine. Next year he gets the Lyme vaccination and sick with the disease within the month. Same thing happens the following year. Now I'm convinced that he is getting Lyme from the vaccine. After that I would not let Chipper get the vaccination. Chipper lived to be 13 years old and he never got Lyme again. This past summer I got Piper and when it was time for her to get the Lyme vaccination, I told the vet how I was convinced Chipper always got Lyme from the vaccine and I didn't want Piper vaccinated. The vet said that I was probably right that it is possible for some dogs to get Lyme from the vaccine. Piper was not vaccinated, I'll take my chances with the ticks.
__________________ Mom to Piper & Chipper |
04-14-2009, 08:10 AM | #3 |
And Rylee Finnegan Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Metro Detroit, MI
Posts: 17,928
| I wouldn't be too worried too fast. Depending on the test done, dog vaccinated for lymes can show false positives. And, just because a dog tests positive only means that the dog has been exposed...or infected. It doesn't mean that they have the disease or will ever show symptoms: Your Pet and Lyme Disease
__________________ Crystal, Ellie May (RIP), Rylee Finnegan, and Gracie Boo🐶 |
04-14-2009, 08:42 AM | #4 |
YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Delaware
Posts: 2,515
| Did they put your baby on doxycycline? they can get false postivies, and sometimes a dog can be exposed to the disease, but never show signs of it. they usually say that lameness in the hind legs is a big clue for lymes. Good luck!
__________________ Mom to Fiona Marie |
04-14-2009, 08:43 AM | #5 | |
No Longer a Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Littleton, NH
Posts: 463
| Quote:
| |
04-14-2009, 08:44 AM | #6 | |
YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Delaware
Posts: 2,515
| Quote:
see, my vet wouldnt give the lymes vaccine if they showed up positive!? I guess different states do different thigns!
__________________ Mom to Fiona Marie | |
04-14-2009, 08:48 AM | #7 | |
And Rylee Finnegan Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Metro Detroit, MI
Posts: 17,928
| Quote:
Just because she has been exposed doesn't mean she has the disease. Whether you treat will vary from vet to vet and state to state because is some areas it is way more common for dogs to get infected but never get the disease. It is an individual decision and I'd go to a vet that I trust and allow them to make the call.
__________________ Crystal, Ellie May (RIP), Rylee Finnegan, and Gracie Boo🐶 | |
04-14-2009, 08:57 AM | #8 |
No Longer a Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Littleton, NH
Posts: 463
| TY Crystal. You're always a wealth of information. She went in for the snap test primarily checking for heart worm before starting the interceptor. After he took the sample we were talking about heart worm, lymes in our area. That's when he told me that so many from his practice were' coming back positive. Thinking Lola for sure would be okay I chose to give the first vaccine. He said something about the sample turning from blue to pink. He said Lola's was definitely pink but not the vibrant pink that he got from another large dog recently tested. Yes, he wants to put her on doxycyline for a month. He just wants to check to make sure of the dosage before prescribing it. Are there things I need to watch for while on it? |
04-14-2009, 09:00 AM | #9 | |
And Rylee Finnegan Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Metro Detroit, MI
Posts: 17,928
| Quote:
While I may very well treat her if you trust the vet, I am just a bit concerned that he has a 10% positive rate. In my opinion, 10% of his patients do not need to be treated for lyme's disease and it sounds a bit crazy to me but I could be wrong...
__________________ Crystal, Ellie May (RIP), Rylee Finnegan, and Gracie Boo🐶 | |
04-14-2009, 11:06 AM | #10 |
No Longer a Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Maryland
Posts: 2,410
| Sorry to hear about Lola. I am going through the same thing with my little girl, Andromeda. Been inside all winter and low and behold, she tested positive for Lymes 2 weeks ago. They have her on Doxycycline as well. As with any antibiotic, there are several side effects to look for. The antibiotic kills the bad bacteria, but alas, also the good. So her stomach may start acting up, and she may not eat. Also, she may have diarrhea or loose stools due to the destruction of her intestional flora by the antibiotic. The best way to stop that is to feed her an organic plain yogurt. There are also pro-biotic pills that you can give, but yogurt is just so much easier! You want to promote the growth of the natural biotics that are in her system already. Try to give her the Doxycycline with her meal, and not on an empty stomach. Feed her several small meals a day. That way her stomach is never on empty. So far, this is working for my Andromeda. She is eating healthy and has no side effects. Just for your peace of mind, this is the same drug that they put humans on who have developed the disease. Keep me posted as to how she is doing! Best of luck. Last edited by lil fu fu girl; 04-14-2009 at 11:07 AM. |
04-14-2009, 11:28 AM | #11 |
Action Jackson ♥ Donating Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Maryland
Posts: 17,814
| My mom's dog was diagnosed with Lymes disease and put on medicine. To be honest, my mom and stepdad stopped giving her the medicine just out of forgetfulness and because of money... and she's absolutely fine and healthy and has been for 2 years since being diagnosed.
__________________ ~ Brit & Lights! Camera! Jackson! CGC ETD TKP ~ Follow Jackson on Instagram: https://instagram.com/jacksontheterrier |
04-14-2009, 05:05 PM | #12 | |
No Longer a Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Littleton, NH
Posts: 463
| Quote:
Crystal, I live in the mountains. Perhaps that could why it's such a high rate? I found this map. Thought it was interesting. U.S. Regional Map of Lyme disease, Canine Ehrlichiosis, Heartworm, Anaplasma | |
04-14-2009, 05:19 PM | #13 |
LoveMy2 Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: East Tennessee
Posts: 4,060
| Thanks so much for the map post! I live in TN and found we are in the highest for heartworms and second for lymes, which makes me feel sure I did the right thing starting Maddie in Interceptor and Frontline Plus. Also, we will vaccation in CO, high in both lyme and heart worm. |
04-14-2009, 05:24 PM | #14 |
No Longer a Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Littleton, NH
Posts: 463
| You can also click on the individual states and it will break into countys. I found it really interesting. |
Bookmarks |
|
|
| |
|
|
SHOP NOW: Amazon :: eBay :: Buy.com :: Newegg :: PetStore :: Petco :: PetSmart