Lyme disease

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

My dog (Miniature Schnauzer) has been diagnosed with lyme disease. My vets have no experience with it - not common in our area of NY. He has been ill on and off most of the winter. Some days absolutely normal, some days down & out, not wanting to move, having difficulty with hind legs, very sore. Started losing weight, had blood drawn, everything was normal, heart, kidneys & liver good - high calcium levels, but nothing else unusual. He kept getting more bad days, got to where he wouldn't even eat raw hamburg when he was bad. I decided to test him for lyme disease, so I researched on internet. Had the Western Blot test run - he was positive for the disease. Immediately started him on antibiotics - on May 2. Still on it. Increasingly was getting better. I was cooking hamburg & mixing with pasta or rice and he was eating three times a day & gaining weight.
Now, he's back down again - last two days. Hardly eating anything. Hard to get up when he's been laying for any time. Once he gets up & starts moving, he can get excited & bouce around like normal. When he's bad he also sometimes falls down - not like a seizure - like his legs give out. I realize this disease can cause permanent damage.
My question is - does anyone know if it is common for them to have a relapse WHILE THEY ARE STILL ON ANTIBIOTICS? Haven't missed one dosage. Plan on giving him meds for a month. I've also been giving him 1/2 a baby aspirin am & pm and been giving him Acidophalis (like probias) to keep his stomach bugs healthy.
Any info would be greatly appreciated. Sorry this was so long, but wanted to give all the facts. Hate when people ask a question & we don't have enough info.
Anyway, hope someone is experienced.
I am going to post this on the health board also.

 

[Gale Seddon]

Jeanne, sorry to hear the little guy's still having problems...have you checked with a vet school....they may have some specialists, research programs, or something on lyme disease...just a thought...

Gale

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Cornell ran the test. I plan on seeing if there is anyone there knowledgeable about the disease today. I feel so helpless when he's so down. I know if you don't keep them on the drugs long enough, the disease can come back. But, it really threw me for him to relapse while still on the meds. Hopefully it's a miner set back. He "fell over" last night - first time my husband saw him do it. Hubby was devistated. This is his baby. He immediately scooped him up & cuddled with him in bed. Behr is 10.5 years old, so age isn't helping.