Lymes Vaccine

[Maxy24]

What topical did you use?

I'm not 100% certain but I'm pretty sure it was advantage II, which is specifically for fleas. I know advantix is the best but I'm not comfortable using it around my cats.


I guess I have a lot to think about, still not sure.

[SaraB]

I don't vaccinate for lyme because honestly anaplasmosis and eurlichia are just as a big of concern here as lyme. I use topicals when needed otherwise screen a month or two after the end of the season. Zuma was positive for eurlichia last year and Classic had lyme. Both got a round of doxy to knock out any symptoms that might develop. Even though they were asymptomatic I still chose treatment because of my own personal experience with lyme. I contracted it when I was about 2 years old and even though I received treatment I firmly believe that my "roaming" arthritis that I have experienced all my life is a result of contracting the disease at such a young age.

[skittledoo]

This is a decision I've been struggling back and forth on. I usually don't vaccinate outside of puppy shots and rabies. Also, since the vaccine is newer I'm hesitant.

On the flip side, lymes is really really bad here. My dogs are outside with me a lot and we are going to start hiking a lot again soon so the chances of lymes is potentially even higher. In addition, the fleas and ticks didn't die off over the winter because this past winter wasn't cold enough here so I've heard from various people around here that they are expecting flea and tick season to be much worse out here this year.

I don't use topical poisons for fleas and ticks anymore because I don't want to put that stuff on my dogs if I can avoid it. I use diatemacious earth as my means of flea and tick preventative right now and looking into other natural alternatives.

[sparks19]

We do vaccinate for Lyme's ... no ill effects yet for our two pooches.

Ticks are TERRIBLE around here. My Father in Law has Lymes and he has a lot of issues from it and then compounded now with his other health issues... makes me paranoid lol

We don't use any of the topical stuff. the dogs respond fine to it but I don't like the idea that Hannah would be running her hands through the stuff.

but yeah, ticks are bad here just about every year and with the very mild winter I expect that it will be much worse this year.

Maybe it's foolish but it gives me a little peace of mind and that's worth it to me lol

[elegy]

Originally Posted by sparks19

but yeah, ticks are bad here just about every year and with the very mild winter I expect that it will be much worse this year.

Tick populations haven't really been affected by the mild winter. But there *are* more of them because the huge acorn crop a few years ago resulted in an increased mouse population, and field mice are a huge feeding source for ticks, so there's been an upswing in the tick population as well.

[sassafras]

I don't. Such a small percentage of dogs exposed to Lyme get sick from it and I feel like the vaccine can give a false sense of security against other tick-borne diseases that I don't bother and focus on tick control.