Asymptomatic Lyme Disease?

I've heard that lots of dogs test positive for Lyme.  I'm not sure of all the specifics on that hopefully someone will come along and know more. 

My Billy has Ehrlichea (different disease but tick-borne).  They all differ so widely and treatment takes a while.  Good luck.  Billy's only symptom has been severe anemia.  *sigh*

Has she ever had the lyme vaccine?  Since there are no symptoms maybe a false positive due to the vaccine?  I could be way off base but hope things turn out well for you both.
 
Edited for web page worth checking out:
 
[linkhttp://www.caberfeidh.com/Lyme.htm]http://www.caberfeidh.com/Lyme.htm[/link]

As far as I know she never had the vaccine, though I got her at 9 months old.  She didn't come up positive last year or the year before though, so I'm assuming it is lyme.  It's been raining heavily here all Spring likely raising a bumper crop of ticks.  I've been keeping the yard short, but the few hikes we've done were in state parks, so I wouldn't be surprised.  Even though I haven't found one tick on her after our hikes. 

I keep finding conflicting info about lyme online, don't treat asymptomatic, do treat...9 percent infected get symptoms, 45 percent get symptoms.  I will admit I was looking lightly, but talk about different theories. 

How did it go at the vets today?  Hope it was better than expected

My vet won't even use the Lyme test as he said so many dogs in that area carry the antibody (which usually conveys protection)). We want to see positive antibody titers for distemper, adeno and parvo as it shows protection. So I'm not sure why we balk at a positive Lyme titer in an otherwise healthy dog with a normal immune system who is not ill. Once a body comes in contact with a virus or bacteria (like Lyme bacteria) a normal  immune system responds by making an antibody. So that the next time the body is exposed to it, the antibody protects us from it. We get antibodies as a result of our immune system responding to actual exposure.  Exposure to bacteria or viruses is either natural (tick bite- also inhaled, ingested or rubbed into mucous membranes like eyes), or through vaccines injected or given intranasally.
My vet in Connecticut said so many dogs are exposed to the Lyme bacteria from tick bites and thier immune systems fight it as it should. The dogs may be infected but never develop disease (a big difference). He won't even give a round of antibiotics as it would not make sense to him unless an individual develops disease. I read that Dr. Rornald Schultz, Immunologist at University Wisconsin-Madsion, says less than 10% of dogs infected with Lyme from a bite ever develop the disease.

There's a further test aside from a Lyme antibody test, the new one is the Lyme C6 Peptide test but even that one doesn't really tell if a dog will get sick. A dog who tests positive for the C6 test will have gotten natural exposure though a tick bite. The Lyme vaccine doesn't contain this C6 peptide so it would mean the dog who tests positive for C6 was exposed naturally not through a vaccine.

Here's a link to some great TBD info:
[linkhttp://saluqi.home.netcom.com/ticklinks.htm]http://saluqi.home.netcom.com/ticklinks.htm[/link]
I would also urge you to join the Tick-L list and post questions there because there are a lot of very knowledgable people on it.
 
I live in the northeast where Lyme is rampant.  I have done the Lyme vac in the past but don't do it anymore.  2 of my 4 came up postive for Lyme when I did the SNAPP test earlier this year (it is my understanding that this test won't show a false positive for dogs given the Lyme vac as previous tests would).  Neither showed any symptoms but I did opt to treat rather than do the C6 test.
 
 

My sad story is that my bulldog tested positive for lyme 5 years ago.  The vet said she didn't need the 3 weeks of doxy because she had no symptoms.  I agreed.  Last year she tested positve again and I asked for the doxy.  Again, she said she didn't need it.   Well, Holly had a heart attack, an enlarged heart in March.  The cardiologist says it has to be from Lyme. He gave her the 3 weeks of doxy now.
 
My research shows heart disease is Stage 3 of lyme!  I am so angry, angry at her vet and angry at myself that I didn't insist on the doxy.  Now my dog is dying.
 
PLEASE - get the doxy if your dog tests positive for Lyme!  Even for symptomless dogs. 
 
 

Sophia - I thought we would not be in the 10% percentile, and look what happened.

Oh that's so sad. I'm so sorry to hear that. I hope she responds favorably and improves.
My vet doesn't prescribe them for healthy asymptomatic dogs (I guess so many of his patients are exposed to ticks that carry the bacteria in Connecticut). He said it can make treatment difficult later if he overprescribes them in his practice (just repeating his words). It's probably a judgement call often for many vets, basing it on the individual patient, their immune history, etc.

Well Toka had the C6 test, and there was no question of her being treated.  She got  418 as a result.  Way too high.  Above 30 they recommend treatment. 

She's on Doxy for 4 weeks, a total of six pills a day, still no obvious symptoms. 

Anyone have ideas for the vomiting though? [:@]

She gets an upset stomach about an hour after the pills, and yogurt works, but I'd rather not send her to a kennel in three weeks with a very complicated care sheet.  I tried her normal food with them the first time, and that didn't go over well.  I might try pills on an empty stomach and see if the vomits, though I expect she will. 

that seems like a massive dose of doxy, are you sure you got the instructions correctly?  Usual treatment is 10 days, for a 100-pound dog 100 mg twice a day, which is only two pills per day. I've never had an animal show digestive upset on a typical dose.
Our vet doesn't even bother with the lyme tests, he says everyone tests highly positive around here. Any dog or horse that shows vague typical symptoms of grumpiness and wandering lameness gets a course of treatment.

There have been no reported cases of Lyme down here and so I do not get Lyme shots for my dogs.  I really know nothing of the disease, but I want to wish you the best for your beloved dog.

Bottle says 3 tablets 2 times a day.  180 pills total.  And the tech who gave it to me reiterated those instructions.

She won't get an upset stomach if she gets yogurt with the pills, but if it's dog food, up it came.

I am kind of wondering sbout neurological symptoms though.  Every place says there can be neurological symptoms, and Toka has shadow chasing which got noticeable worse late last year.  I guess I'll keep an eye on that and see if it calms out.