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Post by mes on Aug 23, 2009 7:47:25 GMT -5
I tried a search but it crashed before returning anything.
COTH Lyme stores were devastating and I stopped reading them.
Does anyone have any experience with Lyme Disease in horses?
Cost to treat? Good outcome?
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Post by Smay on Aug 24, 2009 7:21:39 GMT -5
I don't have any experience with it, other than a while back - a lady at a boarding barn we were at had a really nice HUGE grey TB that I rode for lessons, who had recovered from Lyme. His only residual trouble was slight sensitivity of his back, and she always made sure he was ridden in sheepskin pads with a wither pad over that... He was a great mover and fun to ride.
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Post by TeachU2Ride on Aug 24, 2009 8:12:56 GMT -5
Unfortunately, the COTH stories are fairly representative of my experience. My 22 year old Paso Fino was a victim of Lyme's in the mid-90s. I treated him with doxycycline for a year, but he was left with severe arthritis in a hind leg and a sore back. I decided he had put up with the treatment long enough (it was always very hard to get him to eat any kind of supplement, much less drugs) and put him down before the next winter because I didn't want him to have trouble on the ice and perhaps not be able to rise one day. I do know horses who have recovered fully. Those that did were treated VERY aggressively - clinic stays with large amounts of DMSO infused to combat inflammation. This wasn't the protocol when Rico got sick or I would have jumped at the chance. MTA: The Horse has many good articles about Lyme. Go here: www.thehorse.com/Search.aspx?cx=001813077443207757262%3A-qbps-ljkta&cof=FORID%3A9&ie=UTF-8&q=Lyme+Disease#949You'll have to register, but it's free. |
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Post by alisonph on Aug 24, 2009 17:43:28 GMT -5
MES - I believe Jlee has a horse who was treated for Lyme. Send her a pm.
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Post by CC on Aug 25, 2009 19:28:35 GMT -5
Basil was treated for Lyme...twice. I post as CC on COTH also, and I've posted all his symptoms etc. a few times on the Lyme threads.
Knock-on-wood, he seems to be recovered without any long term problems.
Doxy did seem to be a bit expensive for a 1200 lb. horse vs. for me! And since the Lyme seemed to exacerbate his hock arthritis, he had hock injections which added to the expense.
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Post by Smay on Aug 26, 2009 7:26:26 GMT -5
Yes, I think that Jlee's horse was treated for erlichea ( sp?) rather than Lyme but both are tick-bourne diseases and require doxycycline for meds, so they may be similar. Wasn't hers named "Irish" or something like that... it was a really nice horse that she did sell later...
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Post by mes on Aug 27, 2009 9:56:03 GMT -5
Thanks for the links and info everyone. I checked them all out.
I read your posts, CC.
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Post by tbrescue on Sept 1, 2009 20:17:35 GMT -5
Moose tested positive for Lyme Spring 08. He was grumpy, footsore, lame, didn't want to leave his stall and completely uninterested in treats (not a normal behavior for him) When he wasn't lame he was wobbly and couldn't figure out where his feet were. We treated him for 60 days with Doxy, 11 grams/day. After the treatment he was still lame and footsore. We did xrays and ended up treating with Legend, then followed up with a course of adequan. He still gets monthly adequan injections and has also had his hocks and SI injected this year. We had what I thought was a relapse this spring (march 09) He was grumpy and didn't want to go. It ended up being ulcers and after treatment he is happy, sound and forward now! He is training 4-6 days/week, showing in dressage, and we are getting ready to compete in our first 3 phase in a couple of weeks (just the pre-elementary level but still, this is a horse that was not ridden for June, July and most of August 08)
Lyme can be treated successfully and your horse may be just fine. Oh, did I mention that Moose is 18, and a starvation rescue....don't give up yet!!
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