Has anyone here had their dog contract lyme disease??? I'm absolutely hysterical because my beloved companion, cocker spaniel just turned 13 last week is exhibiting serious symptoms that I am sure are lyme. She's hardly been sick a day in her life. I live in a development where you have to leash walk your dog, so she doesn't go anywhere except right here. My oldest son wanted to take the old girl out for a walk down by the river by his dad's two weeks ago. He just thought she would enjoy the heck out of it, which she did. She hasn't been for a walk like that in 8 or 9 years. I wasn't thinking about the ticks, we live in a heavy deer tick/lyme area of the state. When she came home I did find a deer tick had attached already, but quickly got it off and checked her best I could with her really, really thick coat. Over the next couple of days I pulled 2 engorged deer ticks off of her and proceeded to get paranoid. I've had lyme disease 3 times and was seriously ill from it and one of my sons has had it once. As the days have gone by over the last two weeks i've been wondering if I'm seeing subtly changes or it's in my mind. She been unusually lethargic. Four days ago she began leaving half her dinner. This is a dog who lives for her dinner each day! Yesterday she hardly got up to even drink all day. Barely touched 1/3 of her dinner. This morning her sense of balance is seriously impaired. She can't negotiate the steps. When I pick her up she's like a rag doll. I know it's lyme, it's affecting her neurologically like it did me. I need to get her to the vets tomorrow. In the meantime, I'm hysterical with fear and worry. I've never had a dog with lyme before. Does anyone know if there are good treatments and cures out there for dogs? I can't loose her. She's my baby girl.....
