Lyme Disease Question

[Augusta]

I am looking for guys who's dogs have lyme disease. If the fall of 2010, after a few days of pheasant hunting, my dogs front leg goes lame. Few days later, he is fine, as he is for the rest of the season. In the fall of 2011, after a few days of hunting, his back leg goes lame, and once again, after a few days rest, he is fine, and the rest of the season as well. I continue to blame it on him being out of condition. Late in the fall of 2011, I take him to the Vet for other reasons, the Vet does a Lyme test, the test comes back positive. The dog is put on antibiotics for 30 days. Now bear in mind, he has had the Lyme disease shot, and I treat with Advantix all spring/summer/fall. My question is, will this problem of him going lame on me always going to happen, or did the antibiotics take care of the lyme disease? Thanks

[pushbutton]

The dog will always have it. The antibiotics just lower the severity of it, but testing is still suspect at this time, with false positives and skewed levels. It is getting better. Had a dog with similar issues that was tested positive, treated, and did not seem to show much effect from it for 8 years before she passed. Still though, leg may or may not have been associated. Sorry, but too many unknowns with the disease at this point. If it matters enough would go to a place like the U of M for further tests.

[Augusta]

Thanks for the info. My real concern is "will he go lame on me every fall during hunting season"?

[fishwidow]

I have a dog that has Lymes, Erlichea, and Anaplasmosis. He has been treated religiously with Frontline and has had Lymes vaccine, but still wound up contracting the disease(s). He periodically has a flare up and will occasionally limp a bit and become kind of sluggish, pfobably because he's got some pain. The doxycycline perks him up right away and he's good to go until the next time. He's pushing 11 and this has been going on for years. If your vet recognizes it as a problem, maybe they will give you some doxcycline to have with during hunting season.

[bottomdweller]

If your really concerned about the legs going lame, treat her a month before season starts and you should be o.k.

You just never know when it going to bother them, nasty stuff.

My dog had anaplasmosis and it took three months of reg meds to get her feeling better. She contracted it a couple years before she passed at fourteen, much harder on the older dogs I think.