Working Dog with Lymes Disease - HELP!!

[ddrdogs]

I discovered this group while trying to find answers about Lymes Disease so ANY and all advice is really appreciated! In December I purchased a working German Shepherd that is still in Germany completing her Schutzhund 1 title and was to be bred in Germany before coming home in June. I just received a call today from the woman I bought her from telling me that the dog was diagnosed with Lymes Disease yesterday after she was acting lethargic.

I've tried to do as much research as I can and also called my vet. My vet feels that if the disease is in the early stages that the dog can be treated and should be fine for the most part. She will probably have some symptoms for life including stiff joints, etc. I'm hoping that is the situation but I'm not certain whether or not I will still be able to continue with competing with this dog here (as was the plan) and whether or not she can be bred in the future. Anyone having any suggestions or experience with this diseaase would be greatly apprecited!! Thank you

 

[BostonBanker]

I admit, my experiences with Lyme are with horses, not dogs, but my horse had it a few years ago, and despite two rounds of heavy-duty IV antibiotics, still carries a fairly high titer. Despite that, he has shown no more signs, and has never had any lasting effects from it. While I know it can be a serious disease, I don't think it is a given that there will be long-term effects.

I hope she responds well to the treatment and is feeling better quickly!

 

[GoingNowhere]

Both my old dog, Belle, and my current dog Boo have had Lyme. It's also affected some of our human family. From my personal experience, I can tell you that Belle's Lyme was chronic, but Boo's has not been (**knock on wood**). Belle was diagnosed with Lyme and every so often she would start limping, as if her joints were stiff. We'd take her in to the vet, get her on doxycycline (sp?), and then she'd be back to normal within a few weeks. Unfortunately, living on a wooded property in tick land and owning a big, black heavy coated dog (belle was a retriever mix), we didn't always get the ticks before they'd bitten in and Belle was actually diagnosed with Erlichiosis and rocky mountain spotted fever too. She really was a lucky dog - made it through all of that, and in the end it was cancer that took her.

Boo was diagnosed with Lyme when we took her in due to ringworm. We'd only had her for about a month and when we mentioned that we were surprised that she liked to sleep a lot, they tested her for Lyme as well and it came back positive. She went on meds for that, but we've since figured out that her personality is just pretty laid back. So all in all, even though she was positive, she's never shown any big symptoms.

Within the human family, we've had one case of Lyme that disappeared after treatment (caught at the bulls-eye rash stage), and several chronic cases that weren't caught until much later.

Overall, yes, Lyme can be very serious, but it isn't an automatic death sentence or even something that needs to make you extremely worried. Take it seriously, but if you're lucky and caught it early, hopefully your dog won't have reoccuring symptoms. And, if it does end up being chronic, from what I've seen, veterinary care for chronic Lyme is much easier to get than human care for chronic Lyme. Unfortunately, there are still people who don't believe (or don't want to believe) that Lyme in humans can be a chronic disease with many side effects (including neurological ones) that isn't always cured with a several week dose of doxy.

Good luck with your dog!

-GoingNowhere

 

[SisMorphine]

My Greyhound had Lyme and after a round of Doxy he never had it reoccur. But we caught it early. My aunt's GSD suffered with Lyme for about a year and a half (long story about her vet refusing to test for it . . . idiot). He has some pretty severe issues because of it, has had to have surgery to fix his elbows and may have to have back surgery.

So if you caught it early hopefully you can treat it and be right as rain. From working at a few vet clinics in a very high Lyme area, I can tell you that is mostly how it turns out.

 

[corgipower]

As for breeding, it can be passed to a fetus during pregnancy.

As far as competing goes, you probably can when she's having good periods, but it might be limited, depending on how early it was caught and how it progresses.

Lyme Disease -- Pets

Infected dogs may be lethargic, have a poor/loss of appetite, or a fever (103° - 105 ° F). Dogs may also experience lameness shifting from one joint to another, fatigue, kidney damage or failure, heart disorders, or neurologic involvement (e.g. aggression, confusion, overeating, seizures). Dogs can be infected with the Lyme bacterium but not exhibit any noticeable symptoms. Dogs appear to have the same expression of disease as humans, therefore, humans have been considered an animal model for dogs. Transplacental transmission has occurred in dogs.

If it were me, I would see if I could get a different dog or a refund.

 

[Jynx]

I find it interesting that the dog got lyme in germany? I didn't realize it was 'over' there.

My 1 yr old gsd, and 2 aussies have tested for anaplasmosis, which is equii erhlichia, I LIVE in Lyme, CT, and have never had lyme, nor have any of my dogs, yet they test high for anaplasmosis constantly ((

I haven't seen any clinical signs with my gsd, who is czech/ddr energizer bunny , nor my male aussie, my female aussie tends to get stiff off and on,,they are all on high doses of doxy at the moment.

Depends on the dog, depends on the numbers, depends on whether it ends up being chronic, clinical or non clincal I would imagine..

Good luck with your new dog

 

[smkie]

As for breeding, it can be passed to a fetus during pregnancy.

As far as competing goes, you probably can when she's having good periods, but it might be limited, depending on how early it was caught and how it progresses.

Lyme Disease -- Pets


If it were me, I would see if I could get a different dog or a refund.

Now if only they would admit that about the human end of things. THey are STILL in denial. Caught early 2 months or more antibiotics you can achieve a cure. Caught late you can hope for remission. I am hoping for remission. Hope you caught your dog's early. FOr those that said they see no more symptoms, it doesn't mean it is gone. It can hide in a cyst form for a long long time until some stress like an illness or a emotional shock can lower the body's immune system and it can return. Keep a watch out.

 

[ddrdogs]

Thank you ALL so much for your advice. I live in an area that we just don't see this so I'm not very familiar with it. I have to admit; I freaked when I was told that she had it. Well, I emailed the guy who is training her so I guess I'll have to wait and see what he says. Thanks again for all your help and advice!!

Jamie