Lyme's Disease and your Dog

Post by **dingo** » Tue Apr 08, 2003 5:33 pm

I just had Boo at the vet today for her boosters. A couple weeks ago the vet suggested getting the Lyme's disease vaccine for her since we want to take her hiking and climbing with us, so this week I went ahead and got it done. You might want to think about doing the same for your pup. For those of you who don't know, Lyme's disease is spread by ticks. It started in New England and is spreading south and west. There have been some cases of Lyme's disease in people in KY already. Dogs are more likely to get ticks that people since they roll in the leaves, etc while we are climbing and hiking. When I lived in NJ, my friend's dad got Lyme's. He was miserable for at least a month or so. He had to take some sort of intraveneous drip once a day. The disease makes you really achy in your joints, plus other symptoms. Just think about your pup getting it. It must be even harder on them.

Post by **Yasmeen** » Tue Apr 08, 2003 6:17 pm

When I saw this topic, I thought it said "Lynne's Disease and your Dog." Just thought I'd share. Sorry, Lynne.

Post by **MattG** » Tue Apr 08, 2003 6:39 pm

hey dingo, i fully agree. i drive down to the red quite often from ohio. there are WAY more ticks down in KY, so i make sure and get my mutt vaccinated every year for lyme. it's a good idea, and it would suck if your dog got sick from neglect.

Post by **dingo** » Tue Apr 08, 2003 7:53 pm

I wonder about a Lyme's vaccine for people? I guess you could always take the dog version. Then you would be like Kramer when he took the dog antibiotics and started acting like a dog.

Sorry only Seinfeld fans would get that one.

Post by **Steve** » Tue Apr 08, 2003 9:42 pm

I got that one dingo, Seinfeld is classic.
There is some sort of Lyme's vaccine for humans out there. A series of three or so shots if I remember correctly. At any rate it is fairly new and a little pricy, but might be worth it in the long run.

Post by **dipsi** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 12:41 am

Check yourselves immediately after outdoor activities. I found a tick on my thigh last time I went climbing. Broke his head off and endured some painful digging! I recently read that it takes a couple of days for the infections to set in, so prompt removal is a must.

Post by **discojett** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 3:07 am

I found a tick once 3 days after a backpacking trip to Virginia - while taking a shower, washing a very personal area. It was quite disturbing. That little dude got pretty fat!

Post by **Legion** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 3:20 am

Yasi, I keep doing that too! Lynne, I'd love to climb with you sometime. You aren't contagious are you?

Post by **dipsi** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 4:06 am

Lynne's disease is infectuous and fuuuuuuuuuuun! If she starts foaming at the mouth, just anchor her to a tree root!

Post by **dingo** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 2:20 pm

I believe foaming at the mouth would be Rabies not Lymes?

Bad news. At 9PM last night, Boo's eye lids started swelling. We called the AA Clinic on Southland and said to bring her right in. They looked her over and said she was having a mild reaction to either her Rabies and Lymes shot. The odd thing is that she had those at 11AM. It was a pretty delayed reaction. Anyway, they gave her a steriod and antihistamine, one of which had to be done by IV, and she is doing much better. She looked like Mike Tyson after a couple rounds. They couldn't say which shot it was that she reacted too since she got them at the same time. She gets her Lymes booster in three weeks, so they recommended getting our vet to give her the steriod a few minutes beforehand. The joys of parenthood! I'm just glad she didn't react sooner since I dropped off at home and went back to work!