Lymes Vaccine - Page 1

Hey Everyone,

Does anyone have any insight with any of the available lymes vaccines?

I live in northern Wisconsin, ticks are prevalent to say the least. On top of that, I am employed as a forester and one of the bonuses of my employment is that my shepherd often accompanies me to the field during the day. He's almost 4 years old and I usually have him tested twice a year for lymes just to keep an eye on things. He had a "very faint positive" last august and was put on a month cycle of doxy. He never showed any symptoms after or before that. We did have ticks active all the way into November last year. I just had him in for some boosters and he again tested positive for lymes this spring, and not the very faint positive. I'm assuming this is a result of a late season tick last fall and not the august faint positive.

I have used various assortments of tick prevention, frontline like topical, the soresto, natural herbals... I am extremely confident that there is not a single product on the market that is going to keep 100 percent of the ticks off my dog. I have yet to try and of the chewables as I have heard mixed reviews...

So, since I will never be able to keep 100% of the lymes carrying pests off my dog, I am considering the vaccine. I am also nervous about this as I have heard mixed reviews online so I am just curious if anyone on here has had any personal experiences.

Thanks for any insight!

What is the point of a vaccine after you already have the disease? Not to mention that, but the vaccine is not recommended by many I trust- it would behoove you to really research the safety and efficacy of it. The best way to prevent Lyme is to check the dog for ticks every time before it comes inside- a lint roller is great for this. There is an awful lot more about Lyme than I have the energy to post right now, but I have bred 2 dogs who had it. One died from kidney failure as a result of it and one is thriving- one owner did conventional treatments and one owner went on a research quest and learned all she could about Lyme and it paid off. Lyme is very difficult to clear via conventional treatment, and in fact many allege that the antibiotics simply cause the virus to encyst itself for later emergence.

 

I have a long PDF from the leading Lyme MD, Joseph Burrascano if you email me. myboycoy@gmail.com 

 

 

I live in the state of the town the disease was named for. So many people and dogs have suffered from this disease, including my son who developed Bell's palsy of his face from it. Long term Doxy treatment was needed to reverse this.

My dogs get the vaccine annually and my oldest GSD will be ten, later this year. I don't use any systemic tick poison on them, just vigilance with checking and removal. They have never shown signs of Lyme disease while many other dogs and pups I know, without the vaccine, have become lame and needed treatment.

I would not hesitate to use the vaccine to prevent the chance of getting Lymes for any of my animals, and wish I could have done the same for my son.
 

Beetree, thanks for sharing your experience. 

 

From what I understand, even after a positive test the "vaccine" will still possibly help prevent kidney damage and lower the chance of developing full blown lymes. I'm basically weighing the risks of rolling the dice on the vaccine versus him developing full blown lymes sometime in the future...

I do try to stay vigilant with looking for ticks, but it is IMPOSSIBLE to find all the ticks. I personally wear clothes soaked in deet and permethrin every day when I am in the field, I'm also not covered in a thick double coat of hair so they are easier to find, and I still can't always locate every tick that manages to get through to my skin...

Lots of dog ppl on here so I am just trying to get insight from people who have used the vaccine.

Exactly! I know I haven't caught all the ticks. I will find an occasional engorged one. The danger of the disease is so prevalent here, as there were studies saying almost all ticks here were carriers, the percentage is so high.

I know with humans the possibility of a false test result is an issue, so often one will simply start treatment based on symptoms as the prudent thing to do. Sooner the better and longer doxy treatments is your best bet. Don't take chances with Lymes. IMHO

I have never tested positive myself, however I have had the typical bullseye mark from several deer ticks here in Wisconsin. I just go to the doctor, tell them what I do for a living and they just write out a doxy prescription. They don't even mess around with waiting a couple weeks and doing a blood test.

On top of Lymes, we've got another handful tick born illnesses spreading around... I hate ticks!