Vet said dog shows lyme disease but 1 or 2 yrs ago?

Question

I'm writing for my sister who's vet called and said her dog's bloodwork shows lyme disease. Her dog is fine, running jumping playing. The vet said she might have been bit 1 or 2 yrs. ago. Is this possible with showing no signs of the illness after all this time? Can she have had it all this time? He said he can prescribe an antiobiotic for 30 days but it would make her sick on both ends and she's not sure what to do. Her dog is acting as fine as she's always been. I know what lyme disease does in a human but not what it would do to an animal. Don't you think the dog would have swollen joints and be in pain and not eat and sleep etc.? Her dog is and has been fine. Please tell me what you think as she's waiting for me to tell her and I just don't know. Thanks

Answer 1

You could have them re-run the test, but honestly--lymes is easily treatable and inexpensive. My dogs never got sick from antibiotics--don't know why the vet would say that--unless he was just giving her the possible side effects. But regardless--treat the dog now. It can cause lots of pain and joint problems. The dog is young and probably not feeling it as much as an older dog would!

Answer 2

It is very possible for dogs to be infected with lyme disease and not show any symptoms. Since my vet switched from the heartworm-only snap tests to the 3-way snap tests (tests for heartworm, lyme, and erlichia) she has found that tick-borne diseases are more common in my area than commonly believed. This does not mean that an untreated dog will never show symptoms. Usually dogs develop lameness and eventually arthritis, but a significant increase in development of kidney failure is also associated with lyme disease (particularly if it is not treated).

The antibiotic treatment is a stronger abx than what is usually prescribed for other diseases (like an infected ear or bacterial overgrowth in the gut for example) and it *can* potentially cause vomiting and diarrhea (especially if given on an empty stomach) but they don't always. My dog did not have any problems with the abx while she was being treated for lyme disease. Your sister's vet should draw blood and do titers before starting the abx and again once the 30 days are done to make sure that the treatment was effective. The vet should also do pre-treatment titers to make sure that the abx are needed (most lyme disease tests will show up positive if the dog has been exposed to lyme disease whether the dog has an infection or not).

Long story short, if titers have shown that your sister's dog has an active case of lyme disease I highly recommend doing the 30 day antibiotic treatment. Your sister's dog may or may not experience vomiting or diarrhea or both on the antibiotics. But, left untreated the lyme disease WILL eventually surface as symptoms and your sister's dog will then be very uncomfortable at the very least and painful or very ill at the worst.

Answer 3

You can't acquire Lyme disease by an infected dog scratching you. The ONLY way to become infected with Borelia burgdorferi (the bacterium that causes lyme disease) is through a tick vector, the infected tick takes a blood meal from you and at the same time transfers the infective Borelia back into you. Did you remember seeing a tick on you where you saw your bullseye rash? Where do you live? It has been reported that lyme disease isn't in the southern states, but there is another rikitesial-like agent that gets transfered to you by the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanium) and can cause the bulls-eye rash but doesn't cause lyme disease. There is a blood test that your vet can do for your dog, and I would go to your doctor and talk to him/her and get tested for lyme disease.

Answer 4

Yes; it is possible for your dog to be fine and have lyme disease. It depends on the blood test and how high the result was he could just be prescribing before your is showing any symptoms.

The symptoms of Lyme disease in dogs differ from those in people, and usually occur much later after the tick bite. Clinical illness in dogs usually occurs 2 to 5 months after initial exposure and the likelihood of disease and the severity of the disease seems to vary with the animal's age and immune status. Cats can develop Lyme disease, but it occurs rarely in them, even in endemic areas. Other domestic animals such as horses have contracted Lyme disease, but it does not appear to be a significant problem. Dogs show several different forms of the disease, but by far, the most common symptoms are a fever of between 103 and 105°, shifting leg lameness, swelling in the joints, lethargy, inappetence, and maybe most importantly, response to appropriate antibiotics.

Arthritis may be a result of both short- and long-term infections. Most dogs that are promptly diagnosed and treated do not appear to develop arthritis, but a few dogs who do not respond completely to treatment or were not treated will develop progressive degeneration of the infected joints.

A few dogs have developed severe progressive renal disease as sequelae to Lyme disease. This severe kidney failure is non-responsive to treatment and death is often the outcome. Fortunately, this form appears to be rare.

Usually, dogs will not develop any rash or the circular area of redness around the bite (erythema migrans) which is seen in people.

Answer 5

My area dog clubs still morn the loss of several great dogs from Lyme. There first symptom: total untreatable kidney failure. They were active & happy, compeating (and beating many others) till then. NOBODY in our area would say leave the dog untreated and risk the disease getting to the kidneys and that happening to another dog.....

Answer 6

tell your sister to follow her heart. the dog will die, but will be happy for a couple months, then will be a slow, painful death. But at least your sister will be secure in knowing that she followed HER heart. Then she can get another active dog, and kill it too.