Lyme disease vaccination, Bravecto, dosage

[mastercaster]

Got the vet to give my dog a Lyme disease vaccination yesterday. She got one last year, as well. Anyone else get these for their dog? I also got her next three month dosage of Bravecto but I decided to try something I've heard others do to cut the cost in half. My griff weighs 45 pounds so I decided to get the dosage that is needed for a 90 pound dog and then cut the pill in half.

I realize that the pill doesn't have a split mark on it but they're soft and should be easy to cut in half with a sharp blade. Some people say, "What if the active ingredient isn't dispersed equally within the pill?" but I can't see why it wouldn't be. It's not like they inject each pill individually with the medicine. They must all be made up into a large vat and then put into tablet form.

Anybody here try cutting their Bravecto pills in half? I'd be interested in hearing your results if you do or if you think it should be a definite no-no.

[orhunter]

I know the old Lyme vaccine wasn’t 100% effective, dunno about what is available today. Make sure you actually have Lyme in your area or areas you travel to before vaccinating. Lyme is carried by Deer Ticks but not all Deer Ticks carry Lyme.

[mastercaster]

I know the old Lyme vaccine wasn’t 100% effective, dunno about what is available today. Make sure you actually have Lyme in your area or areas you travel to before vaccinating. Lyme is carried by Deer Ticks but not all Deer Ticks carry Lyme.

There's been a few instances of Lyme disease in the area where I do a lot of my deer hunting in. I've found ticks on a number of deer I've shot in the past. There's been some cases of people getting the disease. In fact, a friend of mine's daughter got a wicked case of it and after fighting it hard for more than a year and a half is finally starting to beat the disease.

What I find VERY strange is that there is a Lyme disease vaccination for dogs but not for people. I guess it can't hurt giving it to your dogs for precautionary reasons if in fact it does exist up here in BC.

[orhunter]

Those ticks on your deer may not (probably not) be Deer Ticks at all. Deer Tick is a common name for a distinct species. They are very tiny and this is how they’re generally identified.

I’ve had Lyme but caught it right away and didn’t have the problems that folks have who’ve been sick a long time. We don’t have it in my area and none of the local Dr.’s know anything about it. If I hadn’t found the tick, (and saw the sign) I might have ended up being one of those bad cases you hear about because my Dr. would never have tested for it. Dr. Had to go on-line to know how to treat it. Kinda funny. Even when it’s caught right away, it takes a while for the meds to work. I didn’t feel better for three weeks and took Doxy for a full month. I got the tick in Kansas and brought it home to NW Orygun.

[flitecontrol]

I got the tick in Kansas and brought it home.

That may be how my dog got Lyme disease; it's not very common around here. Didn't know there was a canine vaccine as my vet never mentioned it.

Years ago, there was a human vaccine, but they took it off the market. Not sure why. Heard they were developing a new one.

[Misskiwi67]

As to cutting chews - medications can “settle “ while the chew dries... so it may not be mixed evenly.

YES!! To Lyme vaccines!! I see very good success with Lyme vaccine, and since switching to the new lymeCR vaccine 3 years ago have not seen a single vaccine failure.

[Misskiwi67]

Here’s a great map showing Lyme disease incidence- 12% of dogs are exposed in my county in Iowa.

http://www.dogsandticks.com/diseases_in_your_area.php

[mastercaster]

Here’s a great map showing Lyme disease incidence- 12% of dogs are exposed in my county in Iowa.

http://www.dogsandticks.com/diseases_in_your_area.php

That sure is high,,,,8493 exposures in all of Iowa compared to just 16 here in BC.

[orhunter]

I clicked on Heartworm and it shows Oregon has it but I asked the local Vet. If he’s ever seen a case and he said, no. I get the feeling a lot of cases of the various diseases are picked up in other locations than where medical attention is administered. That kind of gives a false indication of where infections exist?

[mastercaster]

I clicked on Heartworm and it shows Oregon has it but I asked the local Vet. If he’s ever seen a case and he said, no. I get the feeling a lot of cases of the various diseases are picked up in other locations than where medical attention is administered. That kind of gives a false indication of where infections exist?

When I researched Lyme Disease and the chances of dogs contracting it I read that only 5-10% of dogs that get bitten by ticks that are carriers of the disease will actually come down with it. It also mentioned that the dogs most susceptible to contracting it are pups and older dogs because their immune system is not as good as young healthy adult dogs. I would imagine that would be the same for almost any disease a dog might get not unlike us humans. Any time your immune system is compromised you stand a much greater chance of coming down with some bug that a strong immune system will generally fight off.

[Drahthaar1108]

I give both my dogs a 7 way shot every year, I use liquid swine ivomec , 1cc per 100LBS for heart worms. Forrest

[bhennessy]

There was a Lyme vaccine for humans, but the anti vaccine knuckleheads got to work on it and the companies manufacturing it quit out of liability concerns. https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/5/7/17314716/lyme-disease-vaccine-history-effectiveness

The good news is that at least one promising vaccine is completing clinical trials and seems like a winner so far.

My dogs are vaccinated for Lyme even though it isnt a problem down here in Louisiana. We travel quite a bit with them to states with big Lyme problems so I felt it was smart. It isn’t cheap and there is an annual booster that you need to keep up with.

[mastercaster]

My dogs are vaccinated for Lyme even though it isnt a problem down here in Louisiana. We travel quite a bit with them to states with big Lyme problems so I felt it was smart. It isn’t cheap and there is an annual booster that you need to keep up with.

The cost up here in BC (with my vet) was $28,,,,didn't seem too far over the top to me. Works out to the price of a Starbucks coffee per month. I'm okay with that. If you can remember, how much is the vaccination in the States?

[Misskiwi67]

I clicked on Heartworm and it shows Oregon has it but I asked the local Vet. If he’s ever seen a case and he said, no. I get the feeling a lot of cases of the various diseases are picked up in other locations than where medical attention is administered. That kind of gives a false indication of where infections exist?

Yes and no. First, you won’t find what you aren’t looking for. When I switched practices my clinic was not routinely testing for Lyme. They were SHOCKED by the prevalence when they started checking. It wasn’t my recommendation that got them to switch either - it was aiDEXX doing a deal on tests that included Lyme...

These statistics are gathered by the testing company, so dogs shipped in sick will absolutely falsely raise the statistics. However, those dogs shipped in are ALSO likely spreading the disease.

Vaccines and prevention should absolutely be based on regional risk. In my area, you are an idiot to skimp on prevention. If I lived in BC, I might not work so hard...

[Misskiwi67]

I clicked on Heartworm and it shows Oregon has it but I asked the local Vet. If he’s ever seen a case and he said, no. I get the feeling a lot of cases of the various diseases are picked up in other locations than where medical attention is administered. That kind of gives a false indication of where infections exist?

When I researched Lyme Disease and the chances of dogs contracting it I read that only 5-10% of dogs that get bitten by ticks that are carriers of the disease will actually come down with it. It also mentioned that the dogs most susceptible to contracting it are pups and older dogs because their immune system is not as good as young healthy adult dogs. I would imagine that would be the same for almost any disease a dog might get not unlike us humans. Any time your immune system is compromised you stand a much greater chance of coming down with some bug that a strong immune system will generally fight off.

Only 10% are SYMPTOMATIC. A recent study showed cartilage damage in 100% of dogs with the disease. Symptoms can also be very subtle. A shocking percentage of owners report their dogs improve after antibiotics. Real or placebo, who knows.

I believe in prevention. 1 in 100 will get acute renal failure that’s expensive and deadly. It really sucks when that dog skipped antibiotics and is dead 9 months later. Maybe only once in a lifetime experience for me (statistically rare) but once is enough.