Lyme Disease

[Maria]

Hello, I've took Bagira to the vet today, she had her check up, some shots and the blood work. He was very impressed with her and even took pictures, she is in the great shape, Thanks God!!!  The vet talked about importance of Lyme disease immunization. I give her hart warm and front line. What are your thoughts or experience about this shot? 

Also, when she turned one years old, I started to feed her ones a day, in the evening, today he told me that even though she is in the great shape and should not add more (114lbs) she should be feed twice a day, divide the portion I feed her in half. What do you think!!! Thank you

[Sweet Pea]

My friend's dog suffered seizures within minutes after his first Lyme vax. Did the vet warn you about the possible side effects of the vaccine (neurological disease, cognitive disorders, poly-arthritis, autoimmune disease, etc) and that it is only 60% effective at best? Lyme vaccine also contains thimerasol, which is mercury. Mercury is not safe to inject into any living creature. Check out this article on Lyme disease and Lyme vaccination by Dr. Patricia Jordan: http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/lyme-disease-and-lyme-vaccine-...

I live in Connecticut in a Lyme epidemic area. I do not put any poisons on my dogs or inject them with any. I do not give heartworm preventive, I do not use Frontline or any other poisonous flea/tick preventive. Heartworm meds DO NOT prevent heartworm. It essentially kills the HW should your dog get infected. Also, HW is becoming resistant to the common "preventives." The heartworm meds have plenty of side effects. 

I used to use Advantix or Frontline when I first got my first BB. After reading the warning labels, I was a bit apprehensive. If it's not safe to get on my skin, why would this neurotoxin be safe for my dog? The EPA has received upwards of 44,000 complaints of harmful reactions in ONE year ranging from rashes, seizures and death. http://www.nbcnews.com/id/35914331/ns/health-pet_health/t/pet-death...

I'll take my chances with nature! My dogs rarely have ticks, but I am careful about where I take them. I use Buck Mountain Botanicals powder to repel ticks/fleas. It has safe ingredients.  However, I do test for heartworm and tick-borne diseases every 6 months. That way if they do get infected, they will be promptly treated. I do believe their chances of getting heartworm in Connecticut are very low. 

Before you load Bagira up with all this stuff the vet recommends, I would investigate the other side of things. Check out the site with the link I gave you for the Lyme article. They have tons of educational info there. The best I can advise is to educate yourself regarding these products extensively and then decide what is best for you and Bagira from there. 

As far as feeding once or twice per day...I don't know if it really matters. I just know that my dogs prefer to eat twice daily and would freak out if they had to miss a meal.  But I do remember reading that kibble fed dogs should be fed more than once daily due to the risk of bloat with kibble. Don't remember where I saw that, but I'm sure a google search would yield some good results. 

[Maria]

Hi Kimberly,

Thank you so much for your information, I was resistant to the idea of Lyme vaccine but could not find any info, about Frontline I do not like it much ether but fleas get into couches and sofas and very hard to clean the house you need to call special services.

Thank you

Maria

[Lisa Tiro]

All good advice Kimberly! ;)

[Brett Johnson]

Hey all, I have been tossing the idea of frontline around and have become more torn then ever. I did have my pup get the Lymes vaccine. We lost one (Labrador) to Lymes already and I will do anything to prevent another. The numbers I have found have been a bit higher than 60% but none the less it's still not perfect. He had no reactions to the shot other than a yelp.

 

Can anyone else advise what they do for Flea and Tick protection? I live in one of the worst areas in the country for Lymes and unfortunately there isn't many options to be able to avoid it. I have read the horrors of Frontline but at the same time I have never seen any of those first hand. Nor has anyone I know. I know people that use Neam oil but I heard its not very affective. I have never heard of Buck Mountain powder. I will investigate that further.

 

Thanks.

[Maria]

Hi Brett,

I like natural meds and prefer it to traditional treatments but what I learned is it is not as effective unfortunately in the risk options and only can be used for mild cases. I apply Front Line only during a season from April till November or depending on the weather, if it getting cooler I use natural alternatives. Like you said I never came across a real closed case only read about it. This is hard decisions we have to make but at the end of the day, it is you who will pick the right one for you pup. I will stay away from Lyme vaccine and check Bagira often and will continue to use front line at present. I know I did not helped you much but thinks are true if we believe they are, another word all thoughts are materialized and we have to think positive. I think you the only one who knows what is best for your furry friend. Good Luck!!!

[Brett Johnson]

Thank you very much Maria!

 

Does anyone have any experience with Advantix? I live in Southeast PA where Lymes runs rampid so I don't have much of a choice even if only a portion of the year (like Maria advised). My question about Advantix is the tubes for extra large say for dogs from 55lb to 110 lb. What happens when your pup exceeds the 110? do you add more?