Ticks... - Page 3

This might be helpful for some of you that worry about lyme....

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme/ld_Incidence.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme/ld_Incidence.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme/ld_rptdLymeCasesbyState.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme/ld_rptmthofill.htm

Oh wow I live in CT :) love PA.

I go camping to PA every year my dogs love it :) all the woods, and people that camp there usually are pretty GSD friendly. :)

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1556&articleid=458

This makes me feel better only 10% of dogs that are bitten by tick that is infected get lyme :)

In September 2007, my then ten year old Boris nearly died from Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF).  He seemed slightly stiff for a few days, not particularly alarming at his age, then one day he fell over and couldn't walk.  He was paralyzed.   Of course I rushed him to my vet, who immediatly suspected Lyme Disease, so put him on doxycycline. A week later he was still paralyzed, my vet referred us to a neurologist.  The neurologist physically tested him, he still had feeling in his feet, a very good sign, but he still couldn't walk.   She determined he either had a tick-borne disease (TBD) or a fibrocartilaginous embolism in his spine.  The next day the tick titer panel came back (taken the week before) and he was infected with RMSF.  It was a month before he could walk again, and six months before he was normal, but it took a long time to work his muscles back up, and he had some hind-end weakness before, this made it worse.  Anyway, he was on high doses of doxycline for over three months.  Doctors who have treated tick diseases before say TBDs must be aggressively treated with doxycycline for longer duration than is conventionally thought.   My vets did not think he would recover, and suggested more than once that I put him down, but I refused.  He survived and was well, but now is dying of hemangiosarcoma, but that's another story.

In September 2006, my then 12 year old dog Asja was infected with ehrlichia.  I found deer ticks on her, was concerned, and the next day she looked lethargic, so I took her in and we treated her with doxycyline and the tick titer test came back positive for ehrlichia.   A week later she looked fine, but was kept on the doxy for two months as a precaution. 

Boris'  infection likely went on for some time before he collapsed, but this dog is so stoic he shows nothing.  

One of my dogs is allergic to Frontline, hence the problem.  I've tried Preventic collars, which seem to work well, but haven't found a great solution yet.  This past summer, we avoided the heavily wooded park, and I haven't seen ticks in months.

So what I was getting at, is that if your dog looks lethargic, or doesn't feel good, take him/her in with your concerns and test the dog.  If you are really concerned, ask for doxycylcine while you are waiting for the test results.

Oh, my dogs were infected in Virginia.

Thanks Asja yes I am aware of it, and yes I will keep an eye on her, at least till we will have a chance to test her. :)

if your in CT, I highly suggest doing a SNAP 4....it tests for HW, Lyme, canine erhlichia and equii erhlichia (anaplasmosis)

I live in Lyme CT, and well am right in the middle of tick country,,all 4 of my dogs tested positve for anaplasmosis almost 2 years ago,,Two were clinical , two were not..My male gsd Dodge, tested HIGH positive,  at that time.  For the life of us, we cannot knock the numbers down on him..I've done HIGH doses and long courses of doxy, retest every six months and it isn't leaving his system :((,,,Unfortunately it has now caused some neuro damage.

My vets tell me, anaplasmosis is now the "thing" in CT..the tick usually has to be IN the dog for atleast 24 hours to put toxins in their system. and yes it's the deer tick,,tiny tiny ticks that most don't even find on their dogs.The ticks you find all engorged are most likely brown ticks.

Kind of ironic,,about 4 years ago, my aussie came down with a mystery illness that almost killed her,,I was doing all these testings on her and one was anaplasmosis (no snap 4 then),,my vets told me it was a waste of money (150$ for THAT test) because it was equii erhlichia and dogs didn't get it...well when all mine came up positive last time,,my vet said
"gee remember when we discouraged you about doing the anaplasmosis testing? Well now the majority of dogs are coming up positive for THAT vs other tick diseases"...

TD in this area can be killers and unfortunately, alot of dogs are not clinical until it's to late :(((

Hope you encountered plain old brown ticks vs the nasty ones

Diane