Special Considerations For Vaccinated Horses
An approved Lyme vaccine for horses is currently not available. Horses are sometimes vaccinated with one of the three available Lyme vaccines for dogs for attempted protection of horses that are housed in Lyme endemic areas. Efficacy studies of canine vaccines in horses are not yet available, but experimental data suggested that anti-OspA antibodies are protective in horses.
All available vaccines contain OspA antigen as the sole or one of the vaccine components. Antibodies to OspA are identified by the Equine Lyme Multiplex Assay to determine the vaccination status in vaccinated horses. To provide our clients with the best interpretation for each animal, we need information on the vaccine used. This includes the name of the vaccine and the date when the horse was last vaccinated. Please include this information on the submission form when samples of vaccinated horses are submitted for testing.
Recent studies indicate that horses can respond to the canine vaccines, but the responses are typically short-lived17,18. It is therefore recommended to vaccinate horses in close proximity to tick season, approximately four weeks before ticks are typically abundant in the area. Additionally, confirmatory testing is recommended after vaccination of horses since low OspA antibody responses have been observed in individual horses.
How Do I Remove A Tick From My Dog
Check your pet immediately after it has been in a tick-infected area. The deer tick is a small tick and only about pinhead size in juvenile stage, but is a little more obvious in the adult phase and after feeding. If you find a tick moving on your pet, the tick has not fed. Remove the tick promptly and place it in rubbing alcohol or crush it between two solid surfaces. If you find a tick attached to your pet, grasp the tick with fine tweezers or your finger nails near the dog’s skin and firmly pull it straight out. There are also tools available called Tick Twister® or Tick Key® which can be useful. However, take care to use them cautiously as twisting or jerking the tick may cause the mouth parts to break off and remain in the skin. See your veterinarian if you are unsure or unable to remove the tick from your dog.
Make sure you protect your fingers from exposure by using a tissue or a disposable glove.You may need another person to help restrain your dog. Removing the tick quickly is important since the disease does not appear to be transmitted until the tick has fed for approximately 12 hours. If you crush the tick, do not get the tick’s contents, including blood, on your skin.
Note: The bacterium that causes Lyme disease can pass through a wound or cut in your skin.
How Long After Treatment Should The Horse/dog Be Re
Antibodies decrease slowly but gradually after the pathogen is cleared from the hosts circulation. Re-testing should not be performed too early. For horses/dogs with positive values for antibodies to OspF but negative values for antibodies to OspC , retesting should be done 3 months after the treatment was started. For horses with a positive OspC antibody value retesting can be done 6-8 weeks after the treatment started. At the time of retesting, a decrease of antibody levels can be expected in successfully treated animals. Serum antibodies may not have completely disappeared at this time. However, they should have dropped by about 40% of the original positive value.
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Losing Weight With Fibromyalgia My First 30 Pounds
When I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2014, I weighed around 150 pounds, which is considered moderately overweight for my height of 5-foot-2-inches. Within one year of my diagnosis, I put on more than 30 pounds due to taking amitriptyline, an antidepressant that was supposed to improve my sleep and reduce my pain. It accomplished neither, but it did give me gross stretch marks on my thighs and a big butt!
In 2015, I gave up on conventional medicines treatments for fibromyalgia and began working remotely with Dr. Rodger Murphree, an Alabama-based chiropractor and functional medicine practitioner.
As part of Dr. Murphrees 6-month get healthy program, I followed the Shape ReClaimed anti-inflammatory diet, combining homeopathy with a low-calorie, physician-supervised elimination diet.
The goals of Shape ReClaimed are:
- Repair basal metabolism
- Implement a sound foundation for a future healthy lifestyle
Shape ReClaimed is an extreme diet and is definitely not for everyone. Honestly, if I had known what all was involved in the diet, I probably would have given up before I even started, but Dr. Murphree and his staff were there to help me through the process.
Shape ReClaimeds magic comes from the homeopathic formula thats taken at least 15 minutes before each meal. These drops helped to reduce my appetite so I wasnt hungry even though I wasnt eating much food. For those who are wondering, Shape ReClaimed is NOT an hCG diet.
Which B Burgdorferi Antigens Are Used And How Is The Test Interpreted
The Equine Lyme Multiplex assay is based on three antigens, called outer surface proteins , of B. burgdorferi. Various research studies have shown that Osp antigen expression changes on the bacterial surface in response to tick feeding and again after infection of a warm-blooded host, such as dogs, horses, or humans . In response to infection, horses develop antibodies to these Osp proteins and testing for antibodies to specific Osp antigens can assist in the diagnosis of infection and Lyme disease.
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What Are The Long Term Side Effects Of Lyme Disease In Dogs
Depression symptoms or other unusual changes in behavior. Swelling of the lymph nodes close to where the tick bite occurred. Difficulty breathing or raspy, strained breaths. Long-term kidney issues that lead to vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, increased urination, and a host of serious side effects.
Can Lyme Be Cured
Lyme disease is caused by infection with the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. Although most cases of Lyme disease can be cured with a 2- to 4-week course of oral antibiotics, patients can sometimes have symptoms of pain, fatigue, or difficulty thinking that last for more than 6 months after they finish treatment.
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Chronic Lyme Disease Vs Acute And Late Stage Lyme
One reason chronic Lyme disease is harder to detect and treat than Lyme at earlier stages is that chronic Lyme disease symptoms are more wide-ranging and varied. Chronic Lyme disease can cause symptoms of early Lyme disease such as fatigue and muscle aches to recur, but it can also cause new symptoms that affect different parts of the body.
Do Antibodies To B Burgdorferi Determine Active Infection
In untreated animals, antibodies to OspC and/or OspF are indicators of infection with B. burgdorferi. Many infected animals dont show clinical signs and maintain constant antibody levels to the pathogen. It is believed that many animals can control the persistent infection. However, increasing antibody values indicate re-activation of or re-infection with the pathogen.
In treated animals, antibody levels decrease slowly and are usually still detectable for several months if treatment was successful.
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The Numbers On Chronic Lyme
Because Lyme disease is commonly missed or misdiagnosed, statistics vary on how many Lyme patients go on to experience chronic symptoms. The following research nonetheless paints a basic picture of the problem.
- An estimated 5-20% of patients may have chronic symptoms after getting Lyme disease, according to the Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
- The treatment failure rate for chronic Lyme disease patients was estimated at 26-50% in 2004, compared to 16-39% for early Lyme patients, according to Lymedisease.org.
- Up to 15-40% of late-stage Lyme patients develop neurological disorders, which are responsible for many common symptoms of chronic Lyme disease.
Experts dont know for sure why some people experience persistent symptoms, even with treatment. However, some believe the Lyme infection may trigger an auto-immune response that manifests in the chronic symptoms detailed below.
Lyme Disease Is A Very Misunderstood Subject Find A Lyme
Getting a precise diagnosis of Lyme disease can be challenging, and not all doctors will go the extra mile, or they dont know. Lyme disease is a misunderstood subject. Therefore, you must do your homework and research Lyme illness yourself.
I understand that this goes against everything you believe about medical doctors, but with the time you will see that it is a fact. You are the only person that can and will bring about your healing.
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Can A Dog Still Get Lyme Disease Even If Vaccinated
Lyme disease vaccines do not cause Lyme disease, and they do not prevent disease development in dogs already infected. It is important to know that both types of vaccines are only about 80% effective in preventing Lyme disease. In other words, about 20% of vaccinated dogs can still become infected with Lyme disease.
Does Lyme Cause Ear Pain
Sporadic case reports associate Lyme infections with sudden hearing loss, autoimmune inner ear disease, and bilateral vestibular loss. It seems likely that the damage of Lyme to the ear is through injury to the eighth nerve, rather than through damage to hair cells or inflammation within the inner ear.
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Treatment And Treatment Follow
For treatment options and recommendations for infected horses with or without clinical signs, we refer to the current literature on Lyme disease in horses: Most commonly used treatments in horses are oxytetracycline , doxycycline 10, or minocycline . In one experimental study, i.v. oxytetra-cycline treatment seemed to eliminate persistent infection, while three out of four ponies treated per os with doxycycline showed increasing antibody values by three months after the treatment ended15.
In Lyme endemic areas, most practitioners treat horses with clinical signs and a confirmed serological antibody titer to B. burgdorferi with either oral administration of doxycycline or minocycline for thirty to forty-five days, or i.v. oxytetracycline for thirty days, or a combination of oxytetracycline i.v. for a variable period, followed by an oral doxycycline or minocycline treatment for a total treatment time of thirty to sixty days. The duration of treatment is empirical and based on experience. Very few practitioners reported adverse reactions to treatment the most common side effect was soft manure .
What Are The Symptoms Of Lyme Disease In Chronic Form
It is estimated that 3050% of people will progress through to the next stage of the illness that can begin two weeks to three months after the infection starts, and they are then subjected to the chronic symptoms of Lyme disease. These can include arthritic pain, memory loss, trouble with vision, and other neurological symptoms that closely parallel multiple sclerosis.
Only a very small percentage of people will progress to the third and final stage of Lyme disease, which can present itself two years after the initial tick bite. This chronic form of Lyme disease causes crippling arthritis and several neurological symptoms similar to those in patients with multiple sclerosis. It can also include facial paralysis, difficulty walking, meningitis, increased memory loss and difficulty concentrating.
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The Lyme Disease And Digestive Symptom Connection
Since Lyme disease is a systemic infection, the bacteria can affect any organ or tissue in the body. The gastrointestinal symptoms of Lyme disease and its associated infections are related to inflammation, nerve damage, and mitochondrial dysfunction. These digestive symptoms or conditions may occur in isolation, but if systemic symptoms are present or the digestive disorders are challenging to treat, Lyme disease should be considered as the underlying culprit. In addition, treating digestive disorders improves the outcome of treating Lyme disease by reducing intestinal-mediated immune dysregulation.
Does Lyme Disease Treatment With Antibiotics Affect Antibody Levels
Antibiotic treatment affects the pathogen . It does not directly influence antibody titers. However, if the treatment is successful and bacteria are removed from the host, the B-cells are not further triggered to produce new antibodies. As a consequence antibodies levels decrease after treatment. Thus, antibody levels are indicators of treatment success .
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Chronic Lyme: What Happens When Lyme Goes Untreated
The Lyme community typically uses the term chronic Lyme disease to describe a range of physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms that crop up after getting Lyme disease and persist for months to years after infection.
The risk of chronic Lyme increases the longer a Lyme infection goes untreated or undertreated. In other words, patients are more likely to recover fully if their Lyme infection is detected and treated as early as possible after the discovery of a tick bite. This stage is usually marked by symptoms such as fevers, chills, muscle aches, and sometimes rashes.
When left untreated or undertreated, however, Lyme disease can spread throughout the body and affect:
- The central nervous system
- Muscles and joints
As Lymedisease.org points out, these symptoms can evolve, disappear, and reappear at different times.
Winning The War Against Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is different for every individual. The severity of symptoms is highly dependent on your immune response and your overall health. This includes factors such as diet, stress, sleep, and fitness.
When youre seeking treatment for Lyme disease, its important to look for a doctor who takes a holistic approach. Here at Premier Health and Holistic Medicine, Dr. Robin Ridinger has spent years studying the intricacies of Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment. She has discovered that the best line of defense against Lyme disease is to fortify a healthy immune system. To that end, she takes the time needed to creates a personalized treatment plan that restores the health of each person from the ground up.
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How Does Lyme Disease Affect The Body
Lyme disease can be difficult to diagnose and even more difficult to treat. Corkscrew-shaped microbes, which are both stealthy and opportunistic, burrow deep inside the bodys tissue where they can hide out undetected by testing and remain virtually unaffected by antibiotics.
Antibiotic therapy may be helpful for clearing microbes in the first two weeks following a tick bite, giving the immune system the upper hand. However, it likely will not eradicate all the microbes. Once these tiny insurgents reach the muscles and organs, powerful antibiotics can become counterproductive.
This is because prolonged use of antibiotics can cause microbes to develop hard, cyst-like shells that serve as non-penetrable bunkers, shielding them from extinction. Additionally, harsh antibiotics can disrupt healthy gut flora, which further hinders the bodys natural immune response.
A Case Study Of Lyme Disease And Hair Loss
The American Journal of Dermatopathology recently outlined the case of a 21-year-old male who suffered a tick bite to the scalp. This case of Lyme disease leads to hair loss and non-scarring alopecia, which some refer to as spot baldness.
Non-scarring alopecia from a tick bite appears patchy and gives the scalp a moth-eaten appearance. Those who have it suffer lesions that are nodular and often blood crusted. Along with this, they experience pain, swelling and pruritus. Non-scarring alopecia is associated with tick bites however, even if a tick bite was not reported this condition shouldnt be ruled out.
The image below demonstrates a real case of non-scarring alopecia. This case was made more complicated by the patient pulling out his hair. This was due to an additional condition called lichen simplex chronicus. With this condition, thick, brown, leathery, skin forms due to excessive scratching, caused by extreme itchiness.
Furthermore, there is still a lot to be learned about Lyme disease and hair loss. Besides, researchers believe that it happens when the body has a strong response to tick saliva, which causes the body to produce anticoagulant, anti-inflammatories, and immunomodulatory chemicals as a response.
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Can My Animal Get Infected Despite Being Vaccinated
Yes. Some animals have been infected despite vaccination. The most common reasons are low or short-lasting vaccine antibodies in the individual animal. It is advisable to monitor the vaccine response annually to ensure the animal develops sufficient antibodies in response to vaccination. Vaccine antibodies can be quantified with the Lyme Multiplex assay as early as two weeks following vaccination or anytime afterwards.
What Do You Do If There’s A Tick Under Your Skin
Use a pair of fine-tipped tweezers to remove it as soon as possible. Pull upward with steady pressure. If parts of the tick are still in your skin, try to get those with the tweezers, too. After everything is out, clean the bite area with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
You probably wonât get infected if you remove the tick within 36 to 48 hours.
How do you throw away a tick?
Put it in soapy water or alcohol, stick it to a piece of tape, or flush it down the toilet.
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Lyme Disease And Hair Loss: The Causes
While we know that Lyme Disease and hair loss go hand in hand, we dont really know how the disease triggers hair loss. It can make the hair dry and brittle. It can make it fall out in clumps. All of this way know, but medical professionals have yet to determine just what the reasons behind this are.
Some suggest that it could be the result of a build-up of toxins. As discussed on our Causes of Hair Loss in Women and our Causes of Hair Loss in Men articles, bad nutrition can play a huge role in hair loss. There are vitamins out there that can play a role in keeping your hair strong, shiny and intact, and a lack of them can have the opposite effect. So, there is a chance that Lyme Disease and hair loss could be the result of the disease damaging the way that the body processes vitamins.
It could also be related to stress, it could be related to the treatment, and to the way the bacteria responds to it. It could even be a combination of all of these things.