Ellie tested positive for Lyme last week using one of the Snap tests during a routine vet visit. The vet prescribed a 30-day course of 200 mg of Doxycycline twice a day. That's in line with what I've read so far and what people with Lyme-positive dogs have said their experience was -- but one person I know is really adamant that the course of Doxy. should be substantially longer in duration i.e. 6-8 weeks.

Anyone have any experience with this or any information you can link me to?

Thanks!
Katie

Lyme spirochetes like to “hide” in deep muscle and now some doctor's say possibly bone making it hard to kill with a short course of antibiotic treatment.
That is why many specialists like to treat it long and hard.
My initial treatment was similar to Ellie's and within a month of getting bitten, I felt better initially but then really got sick when it resurfaced.
I am only going on human info.

Katie,

Here are a couple links:

http://blackgsd.googlepages.com/
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=2223868&blobtype=pdf
http://www.idexx.com/animalhealth/testkits/3dx/
http://www.idexx.com/animalhealth/testkits/4dx/

I can't say what the dose should be but its roughly 10 mg per lb of weight per day for an aggressive dose for 8 weeks. I linked a research paper that has results from non-clinical dogs dosed at high/low doses of doxy and also amoxicillin. I'm not sure if you had the C6 Quant Assay Test (Idexx labs only) run but it is recommended to get a baseline and later to see if treatment was even successful. Many docs treat after a lyme positive result on the Snap without following the protocol of the Snap test's maker Idexx. Idexx recommends treating dogs above 30 on the C6 test anything below will not be beneficial to treat. The Snap starts to pick up on levels around 10. Hopefully you didn't dose yet and can get the info you need.

Kimberly

Thanks Kimberly -- I'll sit and read that study tonight. I appreciate it very much! I have already started the Doxy though...so I am not going to know an initial level...

The positive result was with the Idexx Snap4Dx -- which only reads positive or negative. I asked about running the C6 Quantitative test to check the antibody levels after the positive Snap test -- the vet's intention is to do that after the course of Doxy at about 6 months and then annual thereafter. At this point I'm limited to that plan -- but given what you said I am going to inquire about a longer treatment of the Doxy.

Katie

After further reading I'm kicking myself now for not INSISTING on the C6 Quantitative test right after the positive Snap test.

Katie

Are you also giving something to protect the stomach lining? If not, ask your vet about it.

I lost a Dobie during surgery to repair a perforated stomach ulcer secondary to doxy.

Screw that Katie,
I'd insist on it now! And as I'd asked about it on my previous visit I'd insist on it being done with no office charge.

Definitive studies have shown that a little more than 80% of dogs not ever treated for lymes show any clinical symtoms in their life time.

Without knowing what levels and just going on a positive/negative test. Your vet could be dumping pills into your dog for no good reason.
If your dog has lymes, it'll always show up positive. That doesn't mean, he/she isn't handling it well. And you won't know that until the antibodies are counted.

Tell your vet to either go back to school, or start mowing lawns for a living.
Randy

Randy - You are the best : )

I thought I had posted my follow-up comment to Katie but I guess I forgot to hit the send key. Anyway, I was going to suggest still running the C6 test through Idexx now while the dog is in the beginning of treatment. It takes a while to see the levels drop anyway. Call Idexx for their recommendation if you need to at 1-888-433-9987. If your vet does not have an Idexx account setup they will need to do so. Call and confirm with your vet. I had one lie to me and said they did. I had to wait a full week for results b/c they had to setup an account. Normally it takes 2 days. Also just because the vet has the Snap tests does not mean they have an Idexx account.

Also, my dog was not treated for lyme. Her levels are too low for the recommended treatment so I am going to re-run the C6 in a few months to see if it increased or decreased on it's own.

You can give the dog probiotics a few hours after or before treatment with doxy to help with stomach issues.

PS - The dog should also have the P:C Ratio (proteinuria) checked with a urine sample to check for kidney damage.



Edited by Kimberly Bunk (05/12/2009 10:51 AM)
Edit reason: Added PS

Thanks Becky, Randy and Kimberly!

I'm usually very thoughtful and read and research things when it comes to my dog -- I'm feeling like I'm mucking this one up -- grrr.

I'll see about still doing the C6 test. I've joined a Tick e-mail list and feel like I'm getting good information there too.

The more I'm reading I want to go with an aggressive antibiotic treatment i.e. 6-8 weeks even without the C6 test and just a positive Snap test. But without knowing the initial level I really won't be able to gauge if the treatment was therapeutic or not.

Ellie gets kefir daily (never within 2 hours of the Doxy) and I never give the Doxy on an empty stomach. She's loving her a.m. pills in the turkey meatballs at least.

I usually do a full blood panel with Dr. Dodds -- that will be due in the Fall; her last one was last September and all within normal ranges.

Kimberly, at what point during or after Doxy treatment should I consider doing the P:C ratio?

Thanks all,
Katie

Kimberly -- thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

I just called Idexx and they said that it certainly wasn't too late to do the C6. We're only in the first week of treatment and they said you don't see an appreciable drop in the levels really until months following treatment -- but obviously the sooner the better.

I called the vet and we're having blood drawn and sent on Friday. I used the "I need patient peace of mind" line.

I'll update when I get the results of the C6.

At least I feel better now.

Katie