More information about my family's health is surfacing.
As you know, I have been suffering from what has been diagnosed with Lyme Disease since Sept 2005. With more than 14 months of antibiotic treatment, I have made slight improvement in my sense of well being. That being said... we have more data about the junk that ticks carry.
Joey (my dog) has been limping for the past two weeks. We took him to the vet and had him examined. The vet figured it was a sprained knee, but I urged her to test him for tick born diseases. Fearing that I sound like a paranoid tick freak, I delicately explained to her the history that the Atchison farm has. Joey has had many instances of spending 10 days at the Farm with Grandma. With each trip up there, we pull as many as 5 - 10 ticks off that guy when we get him home. Some of them have been engorged with blood and appear to have been attached for more than 24 hours.
We got the results this morning. Joey is suffering from Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. This is another tick born disease that can cause major complications if not caught early. In our case, Joey has not been to the farm for more than a year, so he's probably been carrying this for quite some time.
His prognosis is a bit unsure. We are to start three weeks of doxcyclene ASAP. He has a bit of a battle ahead of him... but we are optimistic. My understanding is that dogs are easier to treat than are humans. As with everything in medicine.. there is no guarantee.
So with this information, and my history of slight improvement on antibiotics for Lyme disease.... I will be tested for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever on Monday 1/21. I'm fearing that I've been a RMSF sufferer all along.
As always, we appreciate your thoughts and prayers as my family goes through this rough patch.
-------------------- 26 months of treatment. And counting....... Posts: 298 | From Northeast Kansas | Registered: Oct 2006
| IP: Logged |
CaliforniaLyme
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 7136
posted
Your poor doggy!!!! I will knock on wood for his best recovery!!!!!!!!!!!!
-------------------- There is no wealth but life. -John Ruskin
All truth goes through 3 stages: first it is ridiculed: then it is violently opposed: finally it is accepted as self evident. - Schopenhauer Posts: 5639 | From Aptos CA USA | Registered: Apr 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
My LLMD tested for RMSF when I was first diagnosed and it did come up very borderline positive. I was retested again after about a month on doxycycline and the RMSF titer was negative. I hope that is one thing that went away but it is definitely a possibility, although if you ever took doxy, I doubt it's a big factor.
Posts: 163 | From Cleveland, OH | Registered: Sep 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Poor Joey!! I do hope he feels great in 3 weeks!! At least ONE member of the family would be "well!"
I agree with Desperation that if you've already taken doxy, you're probably covered. Let's hope so!!
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
| IP: Logged |
lymie tony z
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5130
posted
I always had the understanding that the ehrlichiosis associated with RMSF is a quick killer of the human host.
I know that lonestar ticks or whatever type of tick carries RMSF also carries many strains of Bb spirochete as well as co/infections.
Please correct me with a website on this as I would like to update my information.
Thanks zman
-------------------- I am not a doctor...opinions expressed are from personal experiences only and should never be viewed as coming from a healthcare provider. zman Posts: 2527 | From safety harbor florida(origin Cleve., Ohio | Registered: Jan 2004
| IP: Logged |
map1131
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2022
posted
Visual see my post today on Spiders and Tick bites. More info on RMSF in humans.
-------------------- "Never, never, never, never, never give up" Winston Churchill Posts: 6495 | From Louisville, Ky | Registered: Jan 2002
| IP: Logged |
Michelle M
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7200
posted
Good catch on asking for further tests for your dawg!! I hope he mends quickly. Bury those pills in a chunk of meat and he'll wolf em down!!
As you YOU, hoping you DON'T have anything like that. Do keep us posted, and good luck!!
Hugs,
Michelle
Posts: 3193 | From Northern California | Registered: Apr 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
We put him on doxy last night.. and I saw improvement within an hour! I know thats crazy, but he was running up and down the stairs! Prior to that, he wasn't able to get up the stairs without considerable effort and pain.
21 days of doxy for him. The thing is... we filled our script for him at CVS. They said, "Oh thats for the DOG?" "You need to go over there (pointing to the front counter)".
I know he's just a dog, but he's still a memember of my family. I don't want him to feel as sick as I do! Atleast one of us can get better.
-------------------- 26 months of treatment. And counting....... Posts: 298 | From Northeast Kansas | Registered: Oct 2006
| IP: Logged |
cottonbrain
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 13769
posted
I'm going to have my dog tested too. We've had her 13 years (she's 15) and she's always been lethargic and lumpy. Cranky too!
We always thought it was "just her breed" until I recently found out I have Lyme disease.
When we brought her home from the animal shelter, she was covered in ticks
-- thanks for reminding all of us to get our pets checked!
Posts: 1173 | From USA | Registered: Nov 2007
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic