Lyme won't go away!

I've known of LOTS of cases where Lyme has had to be treated 8 - 10 months. 

Given what you're saying -- it honestly might not hurt to protect your back with something extra like a consult with a TCVM vet or simliar. 

Since they are giving prednisone -- you need to be giving milk thistle.  You probably should be monitoring the bloodwork (not just a CBC but look at liver/kidney values with long term abx use like that).  Milk thistle will not only help protect the liver, but it will also actually help the body process the drug BETTER (which could shorten the term you need it for).  And, of course, it's also a good detox as well.

Milk thistle capsulels are pricey (and frankly, the dog doesn't digest the gelcap all that well).  You can get a whole pound of milk thistle powder for about $20.00 (that's equal to about $250 worth of capsules) and that should pretty well cover shipping as well.  http://www.leavesandroots.com is the place I use -- and that's using high quality certified organic herb (let's just say it's more like $300 worth of capsules cos organic would be more costly).  All you'd have to do is put about a teaspoon of the powder in River's food twice a day (if he eats kibble you'll want to add a topper to make the milk thistle "stick".

 I would continue the milk thistle long after the pred is done because just taking abx for that long warrants milk thistle.

It would just make it easier on his body.  And I"m assuming you're already doing a probiotic for him?  Switch those up -- don't use the same probiotic week after week.  Your vet should have some (Purina makes one vet's sell and I can't remember the name of it -- then after a box of that do yogurt for a month or two, then switch to a health store probiotic -- the body gets lazy and if you do something like that the same day after day the body will ignore it).

You could also do a nice essential oil like peppermint or wintergreen that would further alleviate soreness.  Just pull back his coat and touch on a few drops and rub a bit.  The more you rub the more 'heat' he'll get and the more oil you use the more heat he'll get.  This is **essential oil** not food flavoring.  Health store item -- it's what gives Ben Gay or Mineral Ice the ability to work but the essential oils don't gunk up the fur like human stuff does.

[edited to save someone's sanity -- thanks Freedom!!]

 Quick note:  Callie has a typo, the place she suggests you buy the milk thistle, it is $20, NOT $206 -- I know, on her suggestion I just bought it from them 2 weeks ago!

 A Boston Terrier in our Agility class had Lyme and was treated for over a year before she got the all clear and resumed Agility.

Wow I never thought it would take that long. Thanks everyone and Callie for the the wonderful suggestions!

Oh poor River!! Just as a precaution have they checked out that there is no reaction to the hardware? I know on that orthodogs board some dogs that had lingering infections had an issue with the hardware and others had MRSA in there. I don't want it to be any of those things or Lyme but do make sure they have looked at all options.

please give your handsome boy some loving for me!

kpwlee

Oh poor River!! Just as a precaution have they checked out that there is no reaction to the hardware? I know on that orthodogs board some dogs that had lingering infections had an issue with the hardware and others had MRSA in there. I don't want it to be any of those things or Lyme but do make sure they have looked at all options.

please give your handsome boy some loving for me!

Karen thanks for the advise. The Vet was treating him like he was rejecting the implant with some improvement until the treatment stopped and his leg blew up again. That is when he retested for Lyme and decided it was the Lyme. The thing is that after each treatment of an antibiotic stops the leg blows up within a week. After surgery he was on antibiotic's for 30 days, within two days his leg swelled and busted his wound open. They took him in, cleaned the wound and restitched and stapled. Knowing he tested positive for Lyme his new antibiotic was Doxy for 30 days, this is when River show his best improvement. He was using his knee more, putting weight on his leg, happy dog... Once the Doxy treatment ended a week later his leg filled with fluid, he wouldn't walk on it and the Vet thought he may be rejecting the implant. So he drained the fluid and started him on steroids and anti rejection meds for 2 weeks the swelling and fluid went down but he would not use his leg! That's went we went over everything so far and realized the Doxy helped the most, retested for Lyme and decided he would go on 3 months, 500 mg treatments. He was doing wonderful! Walks using his leg but still not all his weight, limps quite a bit but happy, walks 2 miles twice a day, etc. ended the three months, within one week, he refused to walk on it some swelling not as bad as previous times. This is where we are today... Vet believes its the Lyme and wants him to go another 3 months! I don't know? How do you know if it's a rejection without removing it? And.. Would Doxy make a implant rejection tolerable while taking it. The Vet did some prednisone for a couple of weeks this time. Rivers surgery was August 8th, 6 months later he is in pain when not on antibiotics and limps pretty bad. I thought he'd be back to normal by now. Ugh Thanks for listening I'll keep you posted.

 Oh wow what a nightmare, I wish I had something significant to say.  Is there another ortho-vet you could perhaps talk to or a vet school that you could talk to?

Do you have confirmed bone healing?  If so removal is safe.  You might post on orthodogs what you wrote above and see if others have experience or thoughts about it.  It is a good resource for people who have problematic recoveries I do know that.

It seems others have said it can take up to a year with Lyme's i have no knowledge of that - but it seems odd to me that its only the surgical knee it effects. But I am not knowledgeable about this so am sharing my feelings not facts.

I would go with the doxy again because it gives River relief and then try to talk to someone else and see what they say.  You have certainly been superb to the big guy and my heart goes out to you as I know how awful it is to see them struggle. FWIW even without complications I don't think B was fully back to 'normal' until 9 months out.

I just feel so sorry for River and for you - know I'm thinking of you and as I said give him some loving from me please!

Nothing to add as my vet in our little town has never seen a case of Lyme, has not even heard of one anywhere in this area.

But I did want to wish your most handsome Rive all the luck for getting back on tgrack.

I do like my Vet and usually have the utmost confidence but this is making me waiver... I don't know what to think. He took X-rays and says things look good. He believes the Lyme is attacking the surgical knee because it is week and compromised. I have spent close to $3,500 dollars on this surgery so far like everyone the finances are tight. Except for medication all the post opt and follow up is covered And bimonthly laser treatments. I might after this get a second opinion but I have to save my money. :)

luvmyswissy

kpwlee

Oh poor River!! Just as a precaution have they checked out that there is no reaction to the hardware? I know on that orthodogs board some dogs that had lingering infections had an issue with the hardware and others had MRSA in there. I don't want it to be any of those things or Lyme but do make sure they have looked at all options.

 

please give your handsome boy some loving for me!

Karen thanks for the advise. The Vet was treating him like he was rejecting the implant with some improvement until the treatment stopped and his leg blew up again. That is when he retested for Lyme and decided it was the Lyme. The thing is that after each treatment of an antibiotic stops the leg blows up within a week. After surgery he was on antibiotic's for 30 days, within two days his leg swelled and busted his wound open. They took him in, cleaned the wound and restitched and stapled. Knowing he tested positive for Lyme his new antibiotic was Doxy for 30 days, this is when River show his best improvement. He was using his knee more, putting weight on his leg, happy dog... Once the Doxy treatment ended a week later his leg filled with fluid, he wouldn't walk on it and the Vet thought he may be rejecting the implant. So he drained the fluid and started him on steroids and anti rejection meds for 2 weeks the swelling and fluid went down but he would not use his leg! That's went we went over everything so far and realized the Doxy helped the most, retested for Lyme and decided he would go on 3 months, 500 mg treatments. He was doing wonderful! Walks using his leg but still not all his weight, limps quite a bit but happy, walks 2 miles twice a day, etc. ended the three months, within one week, he refused to walk on it some swelling not as bad as previous times. This is where we are today... Vet believes its the Lyme and wants him to go another 3 months! I don't know? How do you know if it's a rejection without removing it? And.. Would Doxy make a implant rejection tolerable while taking it. The Vet did some prednisone for a couple of weeks this time. Rivers surgery was August 8th, 6 months later he is in pain when not on antibiotics and limps pretty bad. I thought he'd be back to normal by now. Ugh Thanks for listening I'll keep you posted.

I have heard MANY MANY cases of Lyme where they kept the dog on doxy for 8 months or so -- just plain DON'T stop or you can wind up with resistance!  It *is* an antibiotic you can have them on long long term.

I wouldn't risk these short courses of doxy --

I fight this myself with the cellulitis -- my body has a strange affinity for strep -- and last spring I had three doctors LAUGH at me when I told them that after 3 weeks of iv antibiotics I didn't think the strep was gone.  They took me off it. (and you guys know I am NO fan of regular medicine typically).

The #_#$(*_@# cellulitis RECURRED **THREE TIMES** in the next 3 months.  FINALLY my own doctor put me on a long course of augmentin followed by two courses of the strongest antibiotic he could prescribe all this just to treat a "barely there" new relapse.  BUT ***FINALLY*** it got the danged stuff GONE. 

Sometimes you just plain have to give in and treat something like that LONG TERM until you are absolutely, positively COMPLETELY sure it's gone.  The next time when you are wanting to 'stop' -- wait 48 - 72 hours, test for the Lyme, and go BACK on the antibiotic until the test comes back.  (again so resistance doesn't set in) -- and if ANY Lyme shows up just keep it rolling for another 3 months or so. 

What you are describing is dangerous and it would scare the tar out of me -- particularly, honestly, since I've seen how incidious some infections can be.  They just 'simmer' in there but never get completely eradicated.

Thanks everyone!!  River is doing really well now on week two of the Doxy.   The plan is to stay on for awhile.