# Antibiotics for Lyme disease in dogs



## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

What antibiotics are used to treat Lyme disease? Someone has posted on Freecycle that their dog has Lyme symptoms and they cannot afford the $125. 

I suggested the farm store but they don't carry Doxycycline so I'm wondering if there are any OTC antibiotics they could use.


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## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

Doxy is the best choice. You really don't want to fool around with LD. If I can recall any of the other myriads of antibiotics I was on I'll post them, but they were ALL script. I guess you're thinking of like Pennicillin or something along those lines? Not for Lyme, unfortuantely. .


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I think their choices may be to let the dog suffer or put it down. Hopefully not but some people have no other option.


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## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

You know, you might suggest Teasel Root. They should be able to get it online. It is a natural "cure" for Lyme. I do know I tried it myself and felt relief; it really cannot hurt. I don't recall it being so very expensive at all, and a small bottle will last forever since you use tiny amounts of it.


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

I'll check tomorrow at the vet and see how much ours are...I know it's a large dose but didn't think they were that expensive. It might be that the poster on Freecycle can find them from another vet at a lower price. I don't know...but I'll find out.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

Look up colloidal silver on the web. Read about, research it, and consider using it. My husband is on it for lyme disease. His Alternative Chiropractor suggests it in many cases.


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## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

mekasmom, did s/he suggest Teasel Root? It's an herbal remedy, it helped me out a lot. I was pretty far down, though...had the IV and everything else. They even tried IV Doxy, in fact.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Thanks.

She posted that she has found some antibiotics. I don't think it was the cost of the drug. It was more the cost of the exam and blood test.


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

Great! whew! one more pup taken care of by a loving owner


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## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

There is no reason to put a dog with lyme;s down. I have a gal that has had it since a pup- she is 9 and going strong. Doxy or tertracycline should be given for a full 30 days.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

When my last 2 dogs have had it they were in a lot of pain. If treatment wasn't possible I would have put them to sleep.


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## ecbreed (Jun 13, 2006)

If thre is a Walmart near, the Doxy is on thier $4 script list. My lab had lyme also, and my vet called the Rx into Walmart for me. I think it ended up costing me about $20 for a months worth of treatment.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

beccachow said:


> mekasmom, did s/he suggest Teasel Root? It's an herbal remedy, it helped me out a lot. I was pretty far down, though...had the IV and everything else. They even tried IV Doxy, in fact.


No. I've never heard of teasel root. I will look it up though. Thanks.


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## Honorine (Feb 27, 2006)

I keep a few bottles of this on hand, as they always collapse on the weekends when you would have to take them to the emergency vet. It gets them on their feet quickly.

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Bird-Biotic-100ct/dp/B00061MQVO

I've also used tetracycline, or injectable penicillin, doxy is best for long term treatment though, its what the vets always prescribe. For a sheltie its 2 tablets a day, for at least 30 days. you'd need to get the proper dosage from a vet for a larger dog. Doxy also treats other tick borne diseases as well I think. Its still important to get the dog into a vet though, because if it has had the Lymes for a long time there can other damage that may need treatment, such as kidney damage. I hate Lymes.


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## Prismseed (Sep 14, 2009)

How do you recognize Lymes in a dog? I've heard of people catching it around here, but I had no idea dogs could aswell.


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## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

Normally it is unexplained lameness that does not go away with crate rest- usually accompanied by fever, but not always.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

Prismseed said:


> How do you recognize Lymes in a dog? I've heard of people catching it around here, but I had no idea dogs could aswell.


Also it is part of the annual blood tests they do for heartworms, etc. They test for many things in the sample.


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## wintrrwolf (Sep 29, 2009)

hmm took in a dog that kept showing up at my place a while back, he would be limping one day on one leg and a different leg another day. He did not behave as if he was in pain (watched him chase a rabbit). Took him into work to have the 3 in 1 heartworm test done which also tests for lyme and lepto cost 27.50 he was positive for Lyme, office visit 35.00, doxycycline 15.00 for 30 days...he is a large aussie total cost 97.50. Good news he _didn't_ have heartworms. I placed him in a loving home after that, couldn't keep another dog at that time or I would still have him.


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## Veronica (Oct 31, 2008)

I found a wonderful pet pharmacy that does mail order. We used them last year when my german shepherd got Aspergillus and local pharmacies wanted $400/month for the medicine. Through the pet pharmacy I paid about $100/month. The name of the place is Pet Health Pharmacy, 1-800-742-0516. They are out of Arizona. We could not have afforded 3 months of medicine for her at $400/each, but this place made it doable. They compound their own medicine. Hope this helps.


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