Lyme

[Dutchringgirl]

Took the girls to their check up today, Thalie is positive for Lyme . She hasnt showed any symptoms so I never thought about it. they gave me amoxicillin and probiotics. I use cedar oil for prevention so maybe ne must have snuck in or she has had it for a while. They want me to go back in a month to check her blood again.
She is on raw diet / Honest Kitchen food. ACV daily.

Any advice? She is happy and healthy otherwise.

[Sugars Mom]

Sorry to hear

I looked it up to learn more about it, here is a link... http://www.2ndchance.info/lyme.htm

Hope it doesn't affect her to badly.

[Dutchringgirl]

Thanks for that post sue ! I was doint some searching too and found the same. She has been acting her normal happy self, no soreness in her joints, or temperament change. Hopefully she hasnt had it for long and the antibiotics will help.

[alspyce]

Doxycycline or amoxicillin for a least 45 days (cheap if you order it yourself), and lots of probiotics. I prefer Doxy.

[Dutchringgirl]

Thanks Chris ! It is Doxy and its for 60 days. They gave me a probiotic, FortiFlora. Can I give more probiotic?

[feraloup]

Lisa! So sorry to hear about poor Thalie! I'm glad to hear she's not symptomatic, though, hopefully that means you're catching it early enough to ward off lingering effects. Sending puppy hugs and fairy-dust.

[leih merigian]

don't worry, Lisa. It's a drag, but as long as they're asymptomatic, the doxy will clear it up (well, it clears it anyway, but it's better if they never have symptoms ) and she should be fine.

Geyser was positive for lyme a long time ago, no symptoms at all. Never has had any. The doxy did the trick.

I get her heartworm tested twice a year, since it tests for three kinds of tick diseases. Even with all the prevention and care in the world, the stinkers can still get their nasty germs thru...

[Dutchringgirl]

don't worry, Lisa. It's a drag, but as long as they're asymptomatic, the doxy will clear it up (well, it clears it anyway, but it's better if they never have symptoms ) and she should be fine.

Geyser was positive for lyme a long time ago, no symptoms at all. Never has had any. The doxy did the trick.

I get her heartworm tested twice a year, since it tests for three kinds of tick diseases. Even with all the prevention and care in the world, the stinkers can still get their nasty germs thru...

Thanks alot Leigh !!!! I feel better. My friend has her horse on Ledum. http://cassia.org/ledum.htm
it sounds pretty neat.

[leih merigian]

Hey Lisa...my computer is acting up today (it's ancient, alas) and so I couldn't check that link...

Anyway, just more good cheer for you

I had Geyser in for her annual check up yesterday, and the results of the heartworm test, which check for three tick diseases, showed her totally cleared of any lyme at all! For a few tests after she'd been treated, she showed decreasing amounts of lyme antibodies in her bloodstream. Now, nothing!

So, yes, big Yay!, but also, just to let you know that you can get there with your pup, too.

[Dutchringgirl]

Hey Lisa...my computer is acting up today (it's ancient, alas) and so I couldn't check that link...

Anyway, just more good cheer for you

I had Geyser in for her annual check up yesterday, and the results of the heartworm test, which check for three tick diseases, showed her totally cleared of any lyme at all! For a few tests after she'd been treated, she showed decreasing amounts of lyme antibodies in her bloodstream. Now, nothing!

So, yes, big Yay!, but also, just to let you know that you can get there with your pup, too.

Thanks soooooooooooooo much Leigh !!!!

She is still acting perfectly normal ! So I am staying on course with the Doxy. My friends horses are on their last dost of the Ledum so ill check in on them to see how they are and see how that worked. I also looked into ledum essential oils.



http://www.experience-essential-oils.co ... l-oil.html

If your computer is still acting up :

Ledum Essential Oil was used by the North American Natives for thousands of years to fight scurvy. It was also used for coughs, hoarseness and kidney related problems and has been used in folk medicine as well.

They found it to be a strong antioxidant and that it inhibited NO release making it a natural anti-inflammatory. Most interesting is that it showed anti-cancer activity against colon carcinoma and lung carcinoma cells. Some other studies indicate that it may be even stronger than frankincense essential oil!

The antitumoral and anticancer activity were studied by the University of Quebec as well.
We also know that Ledum essential oil is a strong liver protectant and has been used for many liver conditions such as hepatitis and fatty liver. It is in two professionally blended blends, Juva Cleanse and GLF (gallbladder liver flush) that were designed specifically for liver and lymphatic system detox. Use ledum or GLF as a home remedy liver detox! I do!

[feraloup]

Reassuring news!

[leih merigian]

thanks LIsa...never heard of that stuff before! (so much to know, such a little brain... )

[Dutchringgirl]

thanks LIsa...never heard of that stuff before! (so much to know, such a little brain... )

HA, I feel that way too sometimes, the amount of info out there is staggering ! I never heard of it either until my friends holistic horse vet told her.

[johninny]

it is amazing how much my own dietary and other health-related regimens have changed starting 13 years ago when Tracedog came into my life and I started researching what was best for him. so much of what I found was also applicable to me. never heard of ledum, but my guess is it will become a household standard. thank you, Lisa.
with respect to lyme disease, does anyone have knowledge/input on the topic of vaccination against it. I have not done that for me or dog in the past [ by conscious choice], but enough time has passed that I thought I should revisit the idea now that it has been on the market for awhile. has anyone heard any reason to avoid it? and how well does it work?

[Dutchringgirl]

I agree John, over the last 5 years my diet and health related regimens have taken a 180 turn for the better. What applies to us applies to our animals as well. Why wouldnt it really? Essential oils are really becoming a huge part of my life as well as being as natural as possible. As far as the Lyme shots, the research I have done has shown that the shots dont do anything. But, like anything, you can find information to prove it works and prove it dosnt work. Some information I found also stated the side effects were worse than what the shot prevented. Id rather not inject anything into them, but I board them occasionally so the kennels want shots. Once my horses were older and I didnt show them anymore, I stopped all shots. I have a cedar spray for ticks that i use on them. I feel natural prevention is better than any chemical.

[johninny]

ok, thanks, Lisa. I will put it off for another decade. I do not do other shots except the required rabies because I do regular titer testing that shows that immune levels are already high enough as if shots HAD been administered. but lyme disease is different and as you know is such an on-going and imminent threat. too bad there is not a really good defense against it. so far, I and dogs have been very, very lucky, but someday that is likely to change. good luck with Thalie.

[Dutchringgirl]

Thanks John. Lyme is so difficult. I remember when I had horses, we had false readings, pos and neg all of the time. I hear the same with people as well. I just figure Ill try to prevent the ticks as much as possible.
Oh.........also John, Diatmectus(sp)earth works great as well. Food grade. I heard about it from Chris on here (alspyce). I spread it around my yard where the dogs are and you can also feed it to them as well. The Diatoms rip apart the bugs.

[johninny]

I have been feeding the DE for a few weeks in response to a conversation here last month in which I think you and Stephanie and Leih [??? did I get my sources of info right - hope I gave correct credit !] participated. Sakima maybe because of his semi-feral past continues to grab and eat everything off the beach, especially the crab legs and body shells that the seagulls leave behind. he also thinks upside-down crab shells are water bowls. TD would never eat or drink ANYTHING he should not [ though he would grab a whole crab and leap wildly around the beach with the foot-long crab legs flailing about his head.....sooooo much fun. I know when Saki has found an intact crab body because instead of stealthily trying to gobble it down before I say leave it, he pounces on it, grabs it and does running and leaping victory laps on the beach - a la TD - to show off his spectacular treasure.] anyway, would not have valued DE until dealing with Saki eat/drink-everything tendencies!

[Dutchringgirl]

HA i can just picture Saki doing the happy dance when when he finds the crab. I havent done the feeding of DE yet, on my list.