Lyme disease hope it helps someone..

The first question I have to ask is WHERE are you?  There are different ticks in all different parts of the country -- and tick diseases can  change with area.  There is Lyme disease, Rocky mt. Spotted Fever, Ehrlichea (Florida) and many others.

3 years ago when Billy was bitten by a tick just about Easter Sunday ( was **watching** for signs of tick diease -- it is when the tick embeds (they have these big pincers that they literally insert down into the dog's skin -- that gets a "lock" on the dog and it's how they feed -- it's those pincers that actually transmit the disease cells -- i.e., it's when they feed, not just as they crawl around on the dog). 

When Billy first had IMHA (immune-mediated hemolytic anemia) we THOUGHT it was tick disease.  My vet did a Coombs test just as soon as we discovered he was anemic and got a "faint" positive -- in Billy's case it was a false positive.  His body had developed antibodies to the tick and THAT caused the body to generalize and start killing the rest of his blood.  We wound up havng to have a huge tick "panel" done (darned thing took three weeks to come back) to rule out the 57 different varieties OF tick disease before they could concentrate on treating for the IMHA.

My point is -- you're RIGHT.  And several of us have yelled this at the top of our virtual lungs.

When your dog acts "not normal" -- TEST.  Don't just assume it's emotional, or behavioral -- no matter how good the chance.

Too many of these diseases thrive on stress -- too many are TOO hard to diagnose.

Go get bloodwork done.  That will usually lead to the tick test (it's the first thing they think of when they see a dog even mildly anemic).

Now -- if your dog was treated in just a couple of weeks WOW you are fortunate.  Because often I've seen tick disease take up to 6 months to treat.  (and it depends on which type of tick disease it is).

Lameness can take on SO many forms -- it is so often mis-diagnosed -- "getting older" ... "he's upset about ____________" etc. -- but I have so learned the hard way if the dog is not acting normal -- GO DO BLOODWORK and find out what the heck is going on.

Good words!! Hope they are heeded!! Thanks for posting!!

I am in Virginia USA.

The tick is the small round tick with black spot on the back. Its called the lyme tick here..

 If we take off a tick that has a oval shape, that is not the risk. Its only the ones very tiny, with a black spot behind the head.

Any tick can carry tick disease -- you're specificially talking about Lyme ... and I don't think there's a tick disease out there that doesn't suck majorly.  *sigh*

Did they actually test your dog for Lyme disease?  I'm just curious because that kind of pain doesn't seem to jive with what my experience with the disease has been.  And, also as far as what you mentioned about the antibiotics for prevention.  My understanding is that if they have it they will always have it.  It's not something you can "prevent" with antibiotics, maybe hold it at bay if they have it.  If they don't have it, they can be vaccinated for it. 

The second vet did. That is what upset us so much about the first vet.

I can understand that.  But, honestly, I can't blame them for thinking he had a disc or some sort of back problem with that level of pain. 

I don't know what they told you but Callie is right.  There are many types of tick disease not just Lyme.  And, there are different kinds of ticks that can carry one or more of the disease.  Also, I'm preettty sure, you can google to double check me, but I'm almost positive there are 2 kinds of ticks that can transmit Lyme. 

What was upsetting about it is that, the second vet said if any dog comes in with stiffness of neck or joints, it is standard ( at least to them) to do at least the snap test to at least rule out those tick disease exposures.

willowchow

Did they actually test your dog for Lyme disease?  I'm just curious because that kind of pain doesn't seem to jive with what my experience with the disease has been.  And, also as far as what you mentioned about the antibiotics for prevention.  My understanding is that if they have it they will always have it.  It's not something you can "prevent" with antibiotics, maybe hold it at bay if they have it.  If they don't have it, they can be vaccinated for it. 

I'm in Ipswich, MA, one of the Lyme tick capitals of the world, and pain like that IS common with Lyme, which can have varied or intermittent symptoms and be very hard to diagnose clinically.  My dogs are all tested every year, even if I see no symptoms, because it's so prevalent here.  If you don't want to put pesticides on your dog, it's imperative to test.  Most dogs here have had Lyme at least once, some more than once.  And, we are seeing an increase in other diseases, too, now testing for anaplasmosis in addition to the others.  The Lyme vaccine is only 70-80% effective, so most vets here don't vaccinate unless the owner wants it.  The vaccine, in this case, and IMO, offers false security.  I'd rather be sure.

What was upsetting about it is that, the second vet said if any dog comes in with stiffness of neck or joints, it is standard ( at least to them) to do at least the snap test to at least rule out those tick disease exposures.

That's the common practice here, as well.  Any vet practicing in tick infested areas should know this!

Exactly Spiritdog. And tick problems here are common.

Also my dogs are tested yearly. Obviously the following snap test after this, on the yearly test, Zubin showed a false positive on lyme again..

 This was explained as he would possibly do so for months after having this disease.

Willow has always tested positive since the initial diagnosis.  And, it's been about two years. 

As far as the test itself it is the same snapp test as the heartworm test so if your dog has been having that yearly then he's been getting the Lyme test too.  I think it also tests for two other tick diseases as well. 

I just want to say this because I feel like I owe it to my dog.  But, I never really took tick disease very seriously.  As Anne, mentioned I'd just use pesticides sparingly and then test.  Well, it wasn't until Willow already had Lyme disease that I was made aware of how many much more serious auto immune diseases could be triggered by tick disease.  Willow developed thrombocytopenia very shortly after her Lyme diagnosis--like so soon after that she wasn't even done with her treatment. I felt like an idiot because I had taken it so lightly.  I had no idea that Lyme disease would be the least of my concerns.