Pong got Lyme Disease

Comments

• sunyata

  December 2008 edited November -1

  Ugh. That definitely stinks. I have never had any dealings with Lyme Disease, so I can not help you out with additional info from first hand experience. Maybe one of the girls that work at a Vet's office can help with that.
  
  Pong Pong is in my thoughts, and I am sending good Shiba-vibes her way!
• okiron

  December 2008 edited November -1

  I'm sorry I know nothing about it so I can't help but hopefully she gets better.
• KFontaine04

  December 2008 edited November -1

  There are some natural treatments you can use, I have never used any of them but I have heard of them. Google "Natural treatments for lyme disease in dogs", it might help.
  
  Pong Pong is wicked cute.
• JessicaRabbit

  December 2008 edited November -1

  My girlfriends pit Carla Lou had Lymes. She had it pretty severely too. She was tested when she showed signs of lameness. Don't beat yourself up, even with flea and tick preventatives you dog can contract lymes.
  
  Carla had it badly and now shows no signs. I don't know a lot about Lymes disease. But it sounds like you are doing what is necessary. Pong Pong will be okay.
• lindsayt

  December 2008 edited November -1

  Living out in the northeast with all the woods you should have year round preventatives for ticks and heartworm, don't take a chance. Mosquitos and tick illness are endemic where you are. I have seen some VERY sick dogs with borrelia bacteria (lyme), as well as seen dogs die from ehrlichia/rickettsia. There are many more tick diseases so I wouldn't take a chance. Good news, 3-4 weeks of doxycycline is very effective against lyme and other tick disease, assuming you caught it fairly early before the dog developed kidney failure or heart failure. You may notice some swollen lymph glands but if the vet didn't find anything else significant the positive test could simply mean Pong was exposed to the lyme vaccine or the bacterium but does not actually have the infection. Other good news, Pong is not outwardly or apparently ill so that's a positive sign any infection she may have is not severe yet. I hope her treatment goes well and buy some advantix (the ticks have to stay attached for awhile before transmission occurs so topicals are good). Best wishes for Pong's speedy recovery. She is a darling.
• MommyofNiko

  December 2008 edited November -1

  Im so sorry! I dont know anything about lyme disease in dogs but I have a friend that has it. In humans it will stay but it can go "dormant" or you go into remission where there will be no symptoms. You will be able to educate us on what you learn and find out. I hope little Pong breezes right through this.
• the_november_rain

  December 2008 edited November -1

  Poor Pong Pong.
• xremii

  December 2008 edited November -1

  Thanks Lindsay for that information. I do use advantix on her it's just I didn't think it was neccessary during that time. Stupid me >.< She's going to be on it every month now.
  
  Rachael - I'll update in a couple of weeks to see what the number is on the second test. I was looking on the receipt for what the test is called and all it said was 'c-g peptide'. When i googled it, nothing really came up.
• dlroberts

  December 2008 edited November -1

  There seems to be some information here
  
  
  A dog with symptoms of Lyme disease ideally should have a test to confirm or rule out Lyme disease. Since it is almost impossible to culture the Lyme spirochete, efforts have centered on detection of antibodies against the Osp’s. Here are the problems encountered with this method:
  
  * In a Lyme endemic area, as many as 90% of the dogs will have antibodies against the Lyme spirochete. Most exposed dogs never get sick but almost all of them will develop antibodies and these antibodies persist for years. How do we tell the dogs that have active infection from those that have been exposed and are not sick from their exposure?
  
  * Vaccine has been available for Lyme disease for a decade or more. How do we distinguish antibodies generated by the vaccine from those generate by natural infection?
  
  * How do we distinguish antibodies generated by similar organisms (Leptospira, for example, or harmless other Borrelia species)?
  
  3Dx Kit ShotThe solution to these problems has come about only recently in the form of the “C6 test.” This is an immunological test for antibody against the “C6 peptide,” a very unique section of the one of the Borrelia burgdorgeri surface antigens. As the spirochete changes its configuration to escape the host’s immune system, the C6 peptide remains constant and always detectable. Vaccine does not contain the C6 peptide so vaccinated dogs will not test positive. Dogs with other infections will not erroneously test positive. Further, this test is simple enough to be available as an in-house test kit (the IDEXX “Snap-3 Dx test” or “Snap-4 Dx test”) which can be run in most veterinary hospitals, with results in approximately 10 minutes.
  
  This still does not address distinguishing active infection from exposure. Dogs will test C6 positive within 3-5 weeks of infection. They stay positive for over a year.
  
• Sangmort

  December 2008 edited November -1

  Poor Babe!! ~
• xremii

  December 2008 edited November -1

  Dave - I read what you posted and that seems like it was the first test she took with the heartworm. I'm not sure what the second one is? Maybe it tests how much anitbodies there are in her system?
• xremii

  January 2009 edited January 2009

  So I called them back and the vet says her "levels" are wayy high and even though she's not exhibiting any symptoms, she'll be put on antibiotics for a month.
  
  I think she has one symptom though, a lot of sleeping. If there's stuff to do, she'll play but if I'm lying here on my computer, cooking, or something, she'll just lie down and "sleep". Is that normal?
  
  I forgot to add that the vet consulted an internal medicine doctor and says that she should be vaccinated again (booster shot) after 6 months. She didn't really explain it well except saying the reasoning behind it is controversial?? but she thinks it's best this way.
  
  I'm going to give her the meds regardless but do you think I should ask for a second opinion elsewhere? I'm trying to find pet owner experiences online but I must be searching the wrong keywords or something!
• dlroberts

  January 2009 edited November -1

  If you trust your vet, then go for it. If you don't have a good enough relationship with your vet then seeking the advice of a specialist is not a bad idea. It will probably cost you some money, but its hard to put a price of peace of mind IMO.
  
  I hope the antibiotics do their thing and she bounces back quickly. I wouldn't be too concerned with the sleeping unless its uncharacteristic of her. Both my dogs sleep a LOT. Especially Lucy once she got to be about a year old, she slowed down significantly and will take a good long nap over playing by herself any day.
• baanton

  January 2009 edited November -1

  Jenny: Both Josephine, our current dog; and Joe, our former dog have had Lyme disease. This much I believe I know after those two experiences:
  
  -- Because Pong is displaying some symptoms (tired, fatigue, sometimes described as lethargy), do use the course of antibiotics with Pong. Start them now (ASAP), do not hesitate for any moment longer, and make sure she takes the full course (it seems like a long time but it takes a long time to kick this disease in a dog). Persevere and make sure she gets the meds every day in the dose prescribed and for the period prescribed.
  -- Ongoing Pong will test positive for Lyme disease, so future diagnosis will be somewhat unclear (this positive result will even occur after the doggie has been vacinnated, so be wary of vets who want to treat the doggie for this in the future.
  -- Untreated, Lyme disease will create some problems with your dog (aforementioned lethargy, joint pain reducing mobility, etc.). So, now that you have the diagnosis, treat the disease and knock it out --- otherwise you run the risk of these symptoms (and indeed the disease) of being chronic. That will be no fun for Pong, and then by definition, no fun for you!
  
  I hope this is helpful advice. This has been corroborated with my brother-in-law, the vet, as well.
  
  
  Take care and the best of luck to Pong for a speedy recovery!
• Sangmort

  January 2009 edited November -1

  Some articles I found with a quick google;
  
  http://www.thepetcenter.com/gen/lyme.html
  http://www.howtodothings.com/pets-and-animals/a3305-how-to-treat-lyme-disease-in-dogs.html
  http://www.dogsandticks.com/faqs-lyme-disease-dogs-tick-diseases/
  http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1556&aid=458
  
  
  Hope that helped...~