Dogs and Lyme Disease

[yonyon]

It's awful, Lyme in a dog. My sheepie got it once. We were lucky; took her to the vet a few hours after she started acting lethargic. Two more hours and only $80 later she had doxycycline and a pound of ground beef in her stomach. Two days later she wouldn't move except to potty and her left rear leg just dragged. The next day she had her leg back and would (reluctantly) come when called. Six months later she was fully recovered and just as energetic as before the infection.

Lyme attacks a dog fast and hard, but they can recover. It can seem to get worse even after the initial treatment, but that doesn't mean it's over. Your little guy seems to have gotten it worse, but don't give up hope.

 

[Cujet]

I contracted Ehrlichiosis. Ehrlichia is commonly transmitted by ticks and dogs can contract it.

Be careful with your belief that it's absolutely Lyme disease. Other tick born diseases are common too. And, treatment may be different.

 

[LeakySeals]

Thats what I was implying in the prior post. After finding live embedded ticks combined with the new symptoms (rapid paralysis, no swelling, no pain) I'm not so sure its a another Lyme recurrence. As bad as this sounds I'm hoping its multiple tick paralysis from the article.

Hes alert and responds. But he still can't move any of his legs. Only his head. There's no pain, he's very comfortable right now. Its been 3 hours since I removed the 2 ticks. He hasn't gotten any worse.

 

[LeakySeals]

Shortly after that photo his breathing became labored. I could not watch and went to bed. Woke up at 6am, opened the door expecting he was dead. His bed was empty. I hear crunching in the kitchen. Walk in there and look. Hes standing at his dishes eating like nothing ever happened! As fast as the paralysis appeared it disappeared even faster! He's not 100%, but pretty close. So in addition to Lyme, depending on the dog ticks can paralyze to the point of respiratory failure. Like a spider.

Is there a higher power? I don't know but times like this have me asking. I had an impulse to bathe a dying dog. If I hadn't bathed the dog when I did, I would not have found the ticks in time.

 

[yonyon]

Yay!

 

[andyd]

Stories like this make me want to go commit a random act of kindness. I hope your pooch has a speedy and total recovery. Being a small dog. maybe Lyme affects him worse.

 

[yonyon]

Has he been given his traditional post-resurrection rack of ribs yet?

 

[LeakySeals]

Yeah, I brought prime rib back from mothers day meal. I still can't get over how fast he almost died and how fast he recovered.

Yesterday 3:00pm. Legs completely paralyzed. 4hrs prior to the bed picture above when he was barely breathing.

Today 3:00pm. Pretty much normal. Happy and frisky, impossible to take his picture because he wont stay still. His lower lip is still swollen, it does not usually stick out like that. And his joints are cracking a little. But thats not stopping him from his usual hyperness.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: Cujet
I contracted Ehrlichiosis. Ehrlichia is commonly transmitted by ticks and dogs can contract it.

Be careful with your belief that it's absolutely Lyme disease. Other tick born diseases are common too. And, treatment may be different.


My Lab Thunder had Ehrlichia( Anaplasma ). Presents the same as Lyme symptom wise and the treatment is the same. He was in BAD shape but the med's cleared it up. When he caught it he was only the 2nd case my Vet had seen in this area. It has spread up here though since. Annual blood tests for heartworm and such now test for Anaplasma as well but back when Thunder got it his vet had to send the blood out to test for it.

EDIT - forgot to mention Anaplasma can come from the regular brown dog tick. Lyme comes from the tiny blacklegged "deer" tick and the western blacklegged tick but Anaplasma can come out of this areas( New England )most common tick which is the common "dog" tick.

 

[NHHEMI]

LeakySeals;

I am sorry to hear about all the problems your dog has had. Pets can become a big part of your family and when they get sick it is like your kid is sick. Been there and I feel for you. Per my post above my Lab Thunder got Anaplasma which presents like Lyme and it did a number on him until he got treatment.

This is a tip I picked up to help keep the ticks off of Thunder. I took him hunting all the time and when we went Pheasant hunting at a local spot he would come out of the bushes looking like his fur was alive he had so many ticks on him. The vet turned me on to this trick. Before taking Thunder out to the woods/fields to start hunting I sprayed his legs, belly, back, and shoulder area with Deep Woods Off. It kept like 95%+ of the ticks off him.

You may want to consider this during the warmer months when ticks are active when taking your dog anywhere that he may get into the grass/weeds/bushes/etc... I would talk with your vet about it 1st( always follow YOUR vets advice )but if he/she says try it give it a go. Worked great for me.

Just don't get it in their eyes and if your dog is a "licker" don't spray it where they can easily lick.

Hope the pooch comes around.

 

[GreeCguy]

Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Is there a higher power? I don't know but times like this have me asking. I had an impulse to bathe a dying dog. If I hadn't bathed the dog when I did, I would not have found the ticks in time.


I firmly believe there is and the Bible tells us God loves animals, (check out the end of the book of Jonah where God explains to Jonah why He does not want to destroy the city).

I do not believe in "random" events but do believe God works through us to accomplish His will, (another Bible verse would be Ephesians 2:10). God knew your little buddy was suffering and your heart was breaking, hence the impluse for the bath, finding the ticks, all is well.

Wonderful news and am so glad and happy everything worked out for the good.

 

[VNTS]

Should be using that monthly, I stop in the winter but from March thru Nov I use them and they work, my dog is lemon and white, years back I was on the road and stopped at rest area with a lot of high grass. Didnt notice until next morning when about 6 dead ticks were on his bedding. I get him the Lymm booster in March.
THey also now vaccinate against Leptosauris bacteria, very bad and my Vet vaccinates all the dogs against that too.

Originally Posted By: ClutchDisc
Once the dog is better I would suggest you try something like K9 Advantix or Frontline.

 

[LeakySeals]

This morning he is 100% with no remaining problems. What I learned from this crisis is in addition to carrying Lyme and other diseases, ticks release toxins that can paralyze and kill. Like a spider. Over the years I've had other dogs bitten before I plucked them off with no issues, but depending on the animal they have more or less tolerance to this toxin. Depending on the type of tick and how many ticks, more or less toxin is present. So it wasn't a change in the Lyme symptoms because it wasn't a recurrence of Lyme. Its another bad things ticks can do. I sent email to the site that wrote the article I attached thanking them. I'm spending 10 minutes checking every part of the dog right now, don't ever want to go through life and death over ticks again. I'm going to the property manager later to discuss this, I'm wondering if there is something about this location that makes the ticks more dangerous, and additional pesticides should be used.

 

[coolbird101]

That is wonderful news, I was having trouble reading this thread as I am very close to my dog - but I tried to keep up anyway. Very glad to hear your dear friend is doing well.

 

[LeakySeals]

The Ledum 200c homeopathic arrived today. I bought it for what was assumed at the time to be his latest recurrence of Lyme (it wasn't, ended up being tick paralyses). Reading online, survivalists and some vets swear by Ledum, claiming in some cases it cures Lyme. Anyone familiar with Ledum? I'm not desperate anymore so I'm nervous to give it to him. Going to take one myself first, see what happens.

 

[LeakySeals]

The dog is now on Ledum 200c after I guinea pigged it. His Lyme symptoms are rashes, stiff neck, painful cracking joints that come and go but eventually Lyme overwhelms him once a year and requires an expensive doctors visit and doxycycline. Any progress in those areas tells me OTC Ledum is helping/working somehow. 2 days, can't tell anything so far. Upped the dose a little, will sustain that for a few days. Is anyone interested in me continuing to update this?