[Kiwayu]

Kiwayu is being treated for Lyme for the 2nd time within a year. It's now day 11 on the oral doxy, and I've only seen VERY MINIMAL improvement. How long until you guys saw improvement. I can't remember how long it took last time and I have to say, that this time it's worse than last time. I put a call into the vet to just give an update and I'm waiting on a call back.

[cosmos mom]

I began to see improvement within 2 days. We are now finished 10days of IV and on day 12 of 30 for the oral doxy. He is back in light to moderate work and has showed minimal stiffness these past 10-14 days. Occasionally , he looks sore in a hip or shoulder- so we just walk and trot a little on those days. Try adding Ledum Palustre to his regemin. I think it was discussed in the previous thread.

[Posting Trot]

At day 10 I think she didn't seem any better and had previously seemed somewhat worse. By day 14 she seemed significantly better.

Good luck.

[Boston Chicken]

I saw a difference within a few days - maybe 4-5 tops. Did they test him for other things aside from Lyme? What are his symptoms today? Jingling for a speedy recovery!

[Kiwayu]

Boston Chicken-

Kiwayu is still sooo stiff and grumpy. His attitude has improved a little, but still very irritable. You can tell he hurts and he's depressed. I feel so horrible just watching him knowing I can't do anything more than give him his medications. I try to groom and just hang out with him, but he doesn't want to be touched.

[Luie's Person]

Luie was really crabby until towards the end of the doxy treatment, @ ~ 3 weeks.... I think we did the ledum longer than that. He was sore and grumpy for a long time.....He was out of work/sore somewhere for about 1 1/2 -2 months. It was hard to wait it out!! Good Luck!!

[rideswithlyme]

Well, my 2 cents being a human that has been treating my lyme and co-infections (babesia and bartonella) that you tend to feel worse when starting a med or a new med because the "dye off" of the spirochetes - what in humans is called a "herx". Since horses cannot voice how the feel they don't have research on herxes for horses. Erlichiosis is a common tick borne co-infection with equestrians (so I take that to mean horses as well). Hang in there, just give it time. Doxy has side effects and some are more sensitive. The longer the lyme went untreated the longer the bugs had to make themselves comfy. The spiros also have a cycle and every few weeks you will feel ickier from their cycle. If your horse is a mare, there is a lot of studies that show drops in estrogen make the bugs active (for humans).

Sorry if that was too much, I am not a doc or a vet but just a person that has horses and has lyme. But I would say just be patient, try to get the horse to drink lots of water to get the toxins out. I truly hope things improve in a couple of days. Best.

[LoriO]

I may be joining this club soon. Vet drew blood on Saturday to test for Lyme on Miss Liz. Hopefully I should hear the results soon!

[Kiwayu]

LoriO- I truly hope you don't join this club. It's horrible!!! We won't even go into the expense part either...

Kiwayu was EXTREMELY grumpy last night. I couldn't go near him without him trying to attack me. This is so not my horse.

[LoriO]

LoriO- I truly hope you don't join this club. It's horrible!!! We won't even go into the expense part either...

Kiwayu was EXTREMELY grumpy last night. I couldn't go near him without him trying to attack me. This is so not my horse.

Kiwayu, I am torn between wanting the results to be positive just so I know what is wrong and negative becasue I really don't want it to be Lyme!!

My mare Liz is usually very well mannered but she she has started kicking and nipping when being groomed and even tried to bite her saddle last week when I went to ride!! All of this is so unlike her. Vet is leaning towards it being Lyme too, I hope I get the results back soon.

As for the costs, I have a feeling I may be selling some of my horse book collection on eBay to help pay for all of this!

[Luie's Person]

Poor Kiwayu...Poor Kristen! Is he just grumpy or really sore - or both?
Thinking back, the biggest turning-point for Luie came with the Robaxin (muscle relaxer). He was sooo incredibly uncomfortable - I think he couldn't relax at all & just stressed himself into feeling worse. Or maybe it *is* the die-off cycle as described by RideswithLyme. Anyway, he exhibited IMMEDIATE relief from the worst symptoms w/ the robaxin, and then everything began to s-l-o-w-l-y improve day by day... at last, I could visit with him a little, stroke him with a soft flat palm, feed him alfalfa cube soup and not worry about being grumped out of his 'house'. He hated to be brushed for the longest time..... soft flat palm or a towel used in long strokes was ok...

nasty, nasty disease.....

[vxf111]

This is starting to sound familiar... Shane had lyme last summer and since then he's had a few bouts where something was just not right. *sigh* vet comes out on Thursday.

[LoriO]

Well, It's official, vet just called and Miss Liz has Lyme. ARGHHHHHHHHH!!!! Well, I guess I am now a member of the club .

Picking up the Doxy tomorrow.

[Kiwayu]

LoriO- Welcome to the club. How many days are you doing the doxy for to start with?


Luie's Person- He's grumpy AND really sore.

I spoke to the vet this morning. If no improvement in attitude/stiffness by Monday she's coming out to do more blood tests for EPM and other stuff, and give him some more drugs for the pain. We didn't get into detail about what exactly she wants to give him, but that I'm to call Monday if no better. By Monday we'll be at day 17, so we'll see...

[LoriO]

We are doing the Doxy for 30 days. I just have to double check her with the weight tape to see how many pills she will be getting. Right now it looks like it will be about 45 pills twice a day. Dang that is a lot of pills!!!

Go figure, my husband bought a set of 2 really neat mini food processors a couple of months ago and the 2nd has been sitting in my basement. Hmmm, guess I now have a use for it!!!

[Kiwayu]

LoriO- You shouldn't have to grind the pills up. Kiwayu gets 50 pills in a handfull of grain with a little bit of applesauce and he gobbles them all up. He also not one for eatting strange things. I don't like grinding meds up if I don't have to because you tend to loose some medication in the grinder. How big is your mare that she's only getting 45 pills 2x a day?

[LoriO]

I am going to try and see if she will eat the pills in her food without grinding them first but if I have to at least I am prepared. It is amazing how good she is at finding pills in her food!

AS for the pill amount, that still may change. We are estimating about a 1000 lbs for her. I have to double check tomorrow with the weight tape to make sure and then check back in with my vet on the pill amount.

[Boston Chicken]

LoriO - sorry she's got Lyme, but at least you know what it is, and it IS treatable. Most experienced people here will tell you to keep her on Doxy for a long time to really kick it. Best of luck to you

[LoriO]

Thanks BC, we are already planning on doing a 30 day run so hopefully that will get rid of it. I am very lucky that my BM has dealt with treating horses for Lyme before so she is familiar with everything that needs to be done and with what to monitor for side effects from the meds.

I can't wait to get my sweet natured cheerful girl back again.

[Posting Trot]

LoriO--Don't grind the doxy, trust me on this one.

The ground up doxy is *very* bitter; the intact pills have some kind of coating on them that makes them much more palatable.

My horse would eat the doxy out of my hand; now granted she's not the world's pickiest eater, but she has been known to turn up her nose at powdered bute in her feed when she's needed it.