Lyme Treatment Options

[greyhead]

We're going to treat Shane for Lyme. He's symptomatic, with IgG 1:64 reported in December. Nothing else we've tried has alleviated the symptoms, so now we're considering the options, which our vet as sketched out as follows: "doxycycline (100 mg tablets) 200 mg PO BID for 4 weeks OR Amoxicillin (500 mg) 1.5 tablets PO BID for 4 weeks, OR azithromycin 900 mg PO QD for 4 weeks. Doxy and Amoxy are much less expensive. Amoxi with probiotics probably the easiest on the gut."

 

We already have a big bottle of doxy, from before (1.5 years ago), but it wasa bit hard on his stomach. We're already giving him sucralfate for morning inappetance now, Pepcid and Zantac both having failed. So do any of you have any experience or knowledge of treating Lyme with amoxicillin or azithromycin?

Edited April 23, 2012 by greyhead

[Burpdog]

I would go on the tick list and ask what is the best treatment.

[tbhounds]

Doxy is the first line antibotic but, that said years ago my border collie had an awful case of Lyme and her GI tract just could not handle the doxy. She was treated with amoxicillin and did very well with it. Sorry I can't remember the dosage we used.

[greyhead]

Thanks, Diane, I'll probably do that too. The thing is, I know doxy is the preferred treatment in most cases. So I wondered if anyone here has used the alternatives for a greyhound. I know there are some greyhound people on the tick list, but not nearly as many as here!

 

ETA: Thanks, Tracy, that's the kind of info I was hoping to get!

ETA again: Well, except that it wasn't a greyhound.

Edited April 24, 2012 by greyhead

[kudzu]

While my girl was on doxy for Lyme a friend's dog was on amoxicillin. Both dogs started with doxy. Neither dog tolerated the doxy well. Friend's dog had a relatively severe reaction including was severe vomitting & showed elevated liver enzymes. Vet made an immediate switch to amoxicillin. My dog's reaction was less severe & we chose to treat with add on meds rather than switch from doxy. My 60 lb girl got 250 mg BID of doxy. It seemed to make her a bit nauseous & ultimately zapped her appetite after a week. Tried Zantac & then sucralfate with minimal success. She ate a bit better & didn't vomit but appetite was still minimal making feeding a struggle. Finally settled on a 1/2 dose of metoclopramide as a mild antiemetic & appetite stimulant.

 

After working through the initial probs, both treatments seemed successful.

[greyhead]

While my girl was on doxy for Lyme a friend's dog was on amoxicillin. Both dogs started with doxy. Neither dog tolerated the doxy well. Friend's dog had a relatively severe reaction including was severe vomitting & showed elevated liver enzymes. Vet made an immediate switch to amoxicillin. My dog's reaction was less severe & we chose to treat with add on meds rather than switch from doxy. My 60 lb girl got 250 mg BID of doxy. It seemed to make her a bit nauseous & ultimately zapped her appetite after a week. Tried Zantac & then sucralfate with minimal success. She ate a bit better & didn't vomit but appetite was still minimal making feeding a struggle. Finally settled on a 1/2 dose of metoclopramide as a mild antiemetic & appetite stimulant.

 

After working through the initial probs, both treatments seemed successful.

 

Thanks so much for this info. Were both these dogs greyhounds? What was your thinking about sticking with doxy and adding metaclo instead of switching to amoxi as your friend did? (I'm guessing you and your vet expected doxy to be more effective, or maybe you didn't want to change horses mid-stream.) I'm leaning toward amoxi, but there's still time to think about it.

[kudzu]

maybe you didn't want to change horses mid-stream

 

More this. ^ I think because it was not effecting her liver enzymes but just inappetance, I was uncertain about the wisdom of switching. Also I'd had dogs, non-GH, with GI probs from amoxy & the vet didn't suggest switching. All the folks on Tick-L seemed to stick with doxy unless something forced them to choose something else.

 

My friend's dog was a Lab. The few Greys I know & others I've read about that I remember were all on doxy for Lyme. In retrospect I think I'd try doxy again if in that position. That is primarily because doxy seems to treat a larger variety of TBDs & some dogs with one TBD have another. Not sure if that idea falls under logic or superstition.

[Moonsmom]

Minty (grey) had active Lyme about 5 years. She cannot tolerate Doxy..(by the second dose she was vomiting and liquid poops; the vet put her on Amoxicillan (sp?) which she did fine on.. though I did give give probotics.

[greyhead]

Minty (grey) had active Lyme about 5 years. She cannot tolerate Doxy..(by the second dose she was vomiting and liquid poops; the vet put her on Amoxicillan (sp?) which she did fine on.. though I did give give probotics.

Thanks, Moonsmom, great to hear! Do you recall if four weeks' treatment was enough for Minty?

[cleptogrey]

just put annie on doxy, sudden limp, knee o.k. we live in a heavy tick area. i have divided her meals into 3 portions to go along w/ the doxy 3xs a day, give her probiotics w/ each meal and some rice. she has a cast iron gut and seems to be doing fine. i always divide up the food when i administer doxy and throw the other ingredients in- just incase. it seems to work. pecid ac as needed