Best Friend Lost to Lyme's Disease

by Tom Rotramel
(Albert Lea, MN USA)

I lost my six year old yellow lab (Harley) to Lymes disease on February 10, 2010.

Harley began having mild seizures in March 2009. His vet said many dogs experience epileptic seizures and that I should just monitor them and record the frequency and severity. If they become more frequent or severe, then consider treating with fenabarital.

Harley's sesures became less frequent and remained mild, lasting less than one minute. By year end 2009 Harley seemed to have lost interest in food, but he was always a picky eater.

I experimented with various brands trying to find something more palletable to him but he started loosing weight.

In January 2010 his vet tested him for Lyme's disease and he tested positive. This was quite a shock since Harley was vacinated and had annual boosters regularly.

His vet couldn't believe it at first, he had never seen a vacinated dog test positive before.

After about one week of being on the normal antibiotic, Harley was showing signs of bloating. A urine analysis indicated kidney failure as a result of the Lyme's infection.

Harley pass away within two weeks.

I have since read information on symptoms of Lyme's disease and seizures can be a symptom. I wish we could have diagnosed it earlier and given Harley a better chance of survival but since he was vacinated and really showed no other common symptoms, we just didn't know.

I also have read that the vacination for Lyme's disease is only 85% effective and may be contribulatory to kidney failure.

If your dog shows any unusual malities, e.g. seizures, limping, loss of appetite, fever,etc., please have you vet test for Lyme's disease and save yourself a lot of heart ache.