Guest jlbfitz Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 Hi, all, It's about time for our girl's vaccines, and I'm wondering what your experiences are with the Lyme Disease vaccine. We live in New Jersey which has one of the highest tick levels, and one of the highest number of Lyme instances in the US. She's on a regular flea & tick (Nexguard), and we are religious about checking her during tick season, but I still worry. One of the dogs from our rescue group died of kidney failure as a result of Lyme a few months ago, which obviously has me concerned. Even though we live in a suburb, sometimes even we (as humans) have come in from outside to find a tick on our clothes, they really are everywhere. This is our first year with her, so I'm curious as to whether other people have used this with their greys, and how they did with it. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleptogrey Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 i would ask your vet if the original lyme vaccine has been improved. in the past, and i vaccinate my dogs/kid, i opted not to since once you vaccinate you will always get a positive reading if a lyme titer is done. but things do change, such as the testing is more reliable. we live in a high tic area and camp/hike. i opt to vaccinate against leptospirosis vs. lyme and that's even evident in inner city situations due to the rat population. just make sure you spread out vaccinations. generally a vet will not charge you for a visit if you care just coming in for a vaccine. distemper/hepto/parvo/pertussis(?) is generally one vaccine. Lepto, kennel cough, rabies are spread out. that's what i try to stick with. it's so much easier now that the basic vaccines are administered every 3 years. but not kennel cough & Lepto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houndtime Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 We used to take the dogs with us in our trailer and we were always in the woods, so, we started doing the Lymes vaccine, then. I have just continued with it since we do walk with them in areas with lots of brush. Several "humans" here have contracted Lymes. Quote Irene Ullmann w/Flying Odin and Mama Mia in Lower Delaware Angels Brandy, John E, American Idol, Paul, Fuzzy and Shine Handcrafted Greyhound and Custom Clocks http://www.houndtime.com Zoom Doggies-Racing Coats for Racing Greyhounds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryJane Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 I'm 20 minutes out of Boston in an area with heavy ticks - I vaccinate my dogs with the Lyme vaccine every year and this has been for a few years now. There has been a newer vaccine out and that is the one that my vet uses. There is supposed to be a titer test coming so that you might not have to vaccinate if the titer is high enough but, not out yet (that I know of). The flea and tick preventives will kill the tick within 48 hours (or so) but they don't prevent the initial injection of the anticoagulant which may contain the Lyme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racindog Posted February 27, 2017 Share Posted February 27, 2017 No way for my guys. IMO the risks far outweigh the possible rewards for us. Research it. Don't listen to hype or those whose primary interest is making money. Read what the renowned PhD immunology vets at the university say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted February 27, 2017 Share Posted February 27, 2017 Most of my family members have had Lyme's disease or other tick borne illnesses (they used to live on Nantucket, which is a horrible hot spot for tick diseases) and I have been vaccinating my dogs with it since it came out. No reaction of any kind in any of them. Nor has my dog ever tested positive--so I'm not sure why someone said that--maybe the tests differentiate?? I don't know, but since it is rampant in this part of the country, I opt to get it. Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cometdust1 Posted February 27, 2017 Share Posted February 27, 2017 I live in NE PA. I opted not to vaccinate due to the conflicting info on the vaccine. 2 years ago my grey came up Lyme positive on his yearly snap 4dx test. Bloodwork was sent out for more complete testing and his titer was over 80. Anything over 30 on a previously untreated dog is considered active infection so he was put on Doxycycline. for one month. 6 mos. later his titer was rechecked and it was 16 which is considered a successful treatment. 6 months after that his titer came up over 270 so he was treated with Doxy again for one month. He is 9 years old and about one month ago had unexplained severe swelling in his wrist. Thankfully, it wasn't cancer and antiinflammatory medicine brought it right down. Ever since, he has had periods of all over stiffness and weakness in his hind end. Some days he is fine, other days his legs slide out from under him. Is it just old age? Chronic Lyme? New Lyme infection? Who knows. He is going in tonight for his 6 month Lyme titer follow-up. I won't be surprised if it comes up high again. I never knew Lyme could put a dog into kidney failure. I have since had several friends/ acquaintances lose their dogs to Lyme induced kidney failure. Living in a high Lyme area, if I had it to do over, I would vaccinate. I will vaccinate my future pets. Just wanted you to know about my experience with Lyme disease. I also had another grey die from Ehrlicchiosis, another tick born disease. I really, really despise ticks!!! Has anybody on here had their dog vaccinated for Lyme and still had their dog come up Lyme positive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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