Cephalexin for lyme
- rschmeider
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Cephalexin for lyme
Anyone have success using cephalexin for Lyme disease. Last time I was at the vet it cost me $450 visit with a Doxy script... I was hoping this will work if I catch it early.
Re: Cephalexin for lyme
wont work. i do think you can use Amoxicillin though.
Re: Cephalexin for lyme
nope. doxy is the go-to for Lyme. I believe amoxicillin is used for Lyme in children, not sure about dogs. Different bacteria are susceptible to different antibiotics, so you can't substitute randomly.
I am really surprised the the doxycycline is so expensive though. My dog got a month of it this fall, and I think it cost us around $50 if I recall correctly. Maybe the bloodwork is what is costing so much?
I am really surprised the the doxycycline is so expensive though. My dog got a month of it this fall, and I think it cost us around $50 if I recall correctly. Maybe the bloodwork is what is costing so much?
Re: Cephalexin for lyme
I agree, sounds high priced. I picked up 20 100mg tablets last year and while I don't recall exactly how much I paid, I remember thinking "wow, that was cheap".DudeRN wrote:nope. doxy is the go-to for Lyme. I believe amoxicillin is used for Lyme in children, not sure about dogs. Different bacteria are susceptible to different antibiotics, so you can't substitute randomly.
I am really surprised the the doxycycline is so expensive though. My dog got a month of it this fall, and I think it cost us around $50 if I recall correctly. Maybe the bloodwork is what is costing so much?
Good article, although it makes no mention of dogs: http://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/di ... tment.html
Re: Cephalexin for lyme
Have the vet send the perscription through Wal-Mart. I think I only paid 175.00 for it.
http://www.huntwithamunster.com
Dealer for Dogtra, Ruff Tuff and Mud River Need a product, just ask.
Dealer for Dogtra, Ruff Tuff and Mud River Need a product, just ask.
Re: Cephalexin for lyme
LInks say not a good idea due to poor in vitro activity , but do some reading for more info.
https://www.google.ca/search?sourceid=n ... me+disease
https://www.google.ca/search?sourceid=n ... me+disease
" We are more than our gender, skin color, class, sexuality or age; we are unlimited potential, and can not be defined by one label." quote A. Bartlett
- rschmeider
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Re: Cephalexin for lyme
Thanks everyone for the info. My script was 150.00 and ER fee plus tests got me up to 450. My older GSP came up really lame overnight on both back legs. We thought it was a herniated disc.
I live in a high lyme area. I was hoping to catch this lyme disease before it gets to this point. My idea is to test the attached tick when i pull it of the dog. http://lymealyzer.com/ Never used it and did anyone this yet?
If the tick comes up positive . I was going to run the dog on antibiocs for 9 days.. Amoxicillin?
Doxy up in down in price in my area and at one time was hard to find.
I live in a high lyme area. I was hoping to catch this lyme disease before it gets to this point. My idea is to test the attached tick when i pull it of the dog. http://lymealyzer.com/ Never used it and did anyone this yet?
If the tick comes up positive . I was going to run the dog on antibiocs for 9 days.. Amoxicillin?
Doxy up in down in price in my area and at one time was hard to find.
Re: Cephalexin for lyme
Don't take this question the wrong way....but why not vaccinate?
And
Do you have ticks this time of year? I was finding them after we had a little snow on the ground this year and I thought that was very strange.
And
Do you have ticks this time of year? I was finding them after we had a little snow on the ground this year and I thought that was very strange.
Re: Cephalexin for lyme
My vet says that if there is any green at all showing , there are ticks.
" We are more than our gender, skin color, class, sexuality or age; we are unlimited potential, and can not be defined by one label." quote A. Bartlett
Re: Cephalexin for lyme
Sharon wrote:My vet says that if there is any green at all showing , there are ticks.
Well that is certainly good to know, albeit a bit disappointing. Tough little bugger's for sure!
- rschmeider
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Re: Cephalexin for lyme
Almost lost a dog on the vaccines.. Also,my good friend setter just came up positive on the vaccines
Re: Cephalexin for lyme
I think you will find that is normal but doesn't mean they have lymes.rschmeider wrote:Almost lost a dog on the vaccines.. Also,my good friend setter just came up positive on the vaccines
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=144
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=207
It's not how many breaths you have taken but how many times it has been taken away!
Has anyone noticed common sense isn't very common anymore.
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=207
It's not how many breaths you have taken but how many times it has been taken away!
Has anyone noticed common sense isn't very common anymore.
Re: Cephalexin for lyme
Many dogs will contract Lyme's that have been vaccinated. Not huge numbers of ticks here. We are in the woods a lot during Spring - Fall.
Use a topical & have had all vaccinated. All 4 of our dogs have had Lyme's at one point or another over the last 5 years. Vaccs. are not iron clad.
Use a topical & have had all vaccinated. All 4 of our dogs have had Lyme's at one point or another over the last 5 years. Vaccs. are not iron clad.
Re: Cephalexin for lyme
did you get an actual lyme diagnosis?rschmeider wrote:Thanks everyone for the info. My script was 150.00 and ER fee plus tests got me up to 450. My older GSP came up really lame overnight on both back legs. We thought it was a herniated disc.
I live in a high lyme area. I was hoping to catch this lyme disease before it gets to this point. My idea is to test the attached tick when i pull it of the dog. http://lymealyzer.com/ Never used it and did anyone this yet?
If the tick comes up positive . I was going to run the dog on antibiocs for 9 days.. Amoxicillin?
Doxy up in down in price in my area and at one time was hard to find.
Re: Cephalexin for lyme
the lymealyzer looks neat, but getting a positive result for the tick doesn't necessarily mean it transmitted lyme to your dog. And I would want to be very sure about the dosing. Just doing a quick google search, you need to base dosing on the weight of the dog, and treatment is for more like 21-28 days, twice a day.
- rschmeider
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Re: Cephalexin for lyme
Dog Dr...Yes, PVSEC drew blood and ran levels on my older dog. He was back to normal in 3days on doxy. Ran a 30 day course.
Lymealyzer..Sitting in the medical kit..Most likely will get my chance this spring to use it.
I work outside and live to be outside.l get the dam thing on me more than the dogs...So at a recent trip to Med Express for a tick that I got on my back at work. I was showing a rash .They whiped the tick with alcohol and removed it..Then they gave me 2 doxy and said that will be enough to kill the bacteria if any.
??? If the tick comes up positive with the lymealyzer test, like to do the same..Do you think 2 doxy or 2 amoxicillin is enough??
Lymealyzer..Sitting in the medical kit..Most likely will get my chance this spring to use it.
I work outside and live to be outside.l get the dam thing on me more than the dogs...So at a recent trip to Med Express for a tick that I got on my back at work. I was showing a rash .They whiped the tick with alcohol and removed it..Then they gave me 2 doxy and said that will be enough to kill the bacteria if any.
??? If the tick comes up positive with the lymealyzer test, like to do the same..Do you think 2 doxy or 2 amoxicillin is enough??
Re: Cephalexin for lyme
im not a human dr by any means, but i cant imagine 2 pills would be enough to do anything. On dogs i do doxy 5mg/lb 2x a day, or amoxi 10mg/lb 2x a day, treat for a month. I know at least 2 people that had to insist that their dr test them for lyme disease; doesnt seem like they think its a big deal in people.
Re: Cephalexin for lyme
dog dr wrote:im not a human dr by any means, but i cant imagine 2 pills would be enough to do anything. On dogs i do doxy 5mg/lb 2x a day, or amoxi 10mg/lb 2x a day, treat for a month. I know at least 2 people that had to insist that their dr test them for lyme disease; doesnt seem like they think its a big deal in people.
2 doxy for one day is what my Dr prescribed for me last spring as well. I will have to check how many mg they are. Thought they were 100./
Re: Cephalexin for lyme
I think the difference in the dosing for dogs versus humans is that we usually get the dose of doxycycline after finding an attached tick, not a positive lyme titer. Longer term dosing of antibiotics is necessary if you get a lyme disease diagnosis.
Dogs usually get the antibiotics after they've started showing signs an symptoms, which can be a couple of weeks after infection and the lyme has had a chance to become firmly entrenched.
Dogs usually get the antibiotics after they've started showing signs an symptoms, which can be a couple of weeks after infection and the lyme has had a chance to become firmly entrenched.
- rschmeider
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Re: Cephalexin for lyme
Let say you have a dog that was exposed to Lyme..Came up positive on the snap test..You had high levels with titer test..Ran 30 days of doxy..Ran titer again levels are down to minimal .
Then you find a tick 6 months later that got past the preventives..Came up positive with the Lymealyzer test..How would you handle it?
Dog is showing no signs.
Thanks again for your input
Then you find a tick 6 months later that got past the preventives..Came up positive with the Lymealyzer test..How would you handle it?
Dog is showing no signs.
Thanks again for your input
Re: Cephalexin for lyme
it is a dilemma, isn't it? if you were pretty sure how long the tick had been on -- not engorged, or you find it right after coming out of the field, I probably wouldn't do anything. I'm not a vet, but I would think you wouldn't do anything unless the dog starts showing signs, and then treat with the standard 30 days of antibiotics.
whether you should treat the dog for a positive tick that you think has been on for more than 24 hours, I would ask your vet.
whether you should treat the dog for a positive tick that you think has been on for more than 24 hours, I would ask your vet.
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Re: Cephalexin for lyme
My vet suggested using Minocycline HCl 100mg. twice a day.
She said that she was having real problems getting Doxy and it was stupid expensive for some reason.
There is apparently no veterinary approval for minocycline use in dogs, but it is approved for human use.
Talk to your vet.
RayG
She said that she was having real problems getting Doxy and it was stupid expensive for some reason.
There is apparently no veterinary approval for minocycline use in dogs, but it is approved for human use.
Talk to your vet.
RayG
Re: Cephalexin for lyme
I think you want to be real careful. You've invested a lot of time, money and love in your dog, you wouldn't want to have your trusted hunting companion to get chronically ill because you wanted to save a few bucks. I think you should get a very clear guideline from your vet -- the right drug, the right dose, the right frequency and the right duration and whether to give it at all. If you have that, and you can decide you want to buy your own antibiotics and give them following the vet's directions, you are on a better course. good luck.
- rschmeider
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Re: Cephalexin for lyme
You think im trying to save $$$...LolDudeRN wrote:I think you want to be real careful. You've invested a lot of time, money and love in your dog, you wouldn't want to have your trusted hunting companion to get chronically ill because you wanted to save a few bucks. I think you should get a very clear guideline from your vet -- the right drug, the right dose, the right frequency and the right duration and whether to give it at all. If you have that, and you can decide you want to buy your own antibiotics and give them following the vet's directions, you are on a better course. good luck.
Maybe this will help you understand..http://www.hopkinsarthritis.org/arthrit ... treatment/
When you go to Med Express they are using this treatment I pasted above.
Why let the dog catch lyme disease. When you can prevent it.
Re: Cephalexin for lyme
no, sorry, I guess that didn't sound right. I just wanted to say I am sure that you really want to be sure that what you are doing is going to keep your dog healthy. which is of course what you are trying to do.
as you can guess from my user name, I am an RN and we get people all the time who don't take all of their prescribed antibiotics, or try taking a leftover antibiotic from three years ago against a cold, etc. just be sure what you are giving your dog is going to work, but you also don't want to overmedicate your dog. antibiotics have side effects, and overuse also promotes drug resistance.
good luck
as you can guess from my user name, I am an RN and we get people all the time who don't take all of their prescribed antibiotics, or try taking a leftover antibiotic from three years ago against a cold, etc. just be sure what you are giving your dog is going to work, but you also don't want to overmedicate your dog. antibiotics have side effects, and overuse also promotes drug resistance.
good luck