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  Discussion on High Titer
Author Message
New Member:
mlynn

Posted on Saturday, Aug 2, 2008 - 11:19 am:

I think that I have read everything that I can find on Equine Lymes. My 21 y/o fit thoroughbred had a 36 hour febrile episode(104)and inappetance with rapid resolution...bloodwork +/- fairly normal suggesting a bacterial infection. Two weeks later he presented with lameness He has injured his shoulder twice before and has come back 100%.It has now been 2 months Lameness exam "confirmed" shoulder again.Th Vet gave some intraarticular steroid. I reminded her that this all started with a fever so she drew Lymes titer. Her response is that it is "shockingly high" and wants to treat with IV antibiotics. Three questions..Do I have to be that aggressive with antibiotics in a very playful(in his pasture) happy ,feeling good horse with a repetative shoulder lameness? Do you treat based on the titer and 1 sore joint? If you treat which is the preferred drug doxycycline or tetracycline? Thanks, Lynn
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Aug 2, 2008 - 3:17 pm:

Hello M. Lynn,
We address all your questions in the article Diseases of Horses » Lameness » Joint, Bone, Ligament Diseases » Lyme Disease, Borreliosis, in Horses. If after reading this article you have more questions there is a discussion forum at the end of the article.
DrO
Member:
erika

Posted on Saturday, Aug 2, 2008 - 10:25 pm:

Ugh, Lynn, I hate to even see your possibility of Lyme's. Your profile doesn't say much about where you are, or what situation your horses are in. We are in NW New Jersey, and I almost can't stand to hear the word Lyme anymore. It is so rampant in humans, pets, and horses.
I had a thread on my mare with Lyme's. I need to update it. But the "gist" of it is that she had various lamenesses come and go for a couple of years before it really got obvious.
We treated her once with IV Tetracycline, and a bit later she relapsed dramatically with extreme pain mimicking laminitis.
After longer follow-up IV tetracycline (30 days) she is better and --knock on wood--continues to seem normal. If money isn't a big issue (when is it NOT?), I would treat your horse. Can't hurt, might help.
I do know that the disease comes and goes, but only gets worse with time; and harder to get rid of...
I hope you'll post again to let us know what you decide, and what the outcome is.
Erika
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