EchoPet
Gecko Obsessed
- Messages
- 408
- Location
- Little Rock, AR
...having two sick is even worse.
At the beginning of the month, my babygirl Wrangler (Australian Shepherd mix) was diagnosed with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. She never showed any symptoms except one morning she started limping. After taking her to the vet for x-rays, a blood panel showed that her platelet count was dangerously low. After a few other tests, we pin-pointed RMSF as the problem. She's been on treatment - antibiotics and steriods - since, and still shows no symptoms and is doing well.
The vets I saw told me I shouldn't have to worry about testing my other four dogs, that the chances of an infected tick biting more than one wasn't very high. I was told to watch for symptoms instead, even though Wrangler never showed any. I wasn't really happy with this, and have been worried about my other babies ever since... but at the same time was a little relieved not to have to spend a few hundred more dollars to run tests on four more.
Wednesday night, I was telling my boyfriend that I was worried about one of my other girls, Riley (Pit Bull mix) because she looks like she's losing a bit of weight and has been less energetic lately. Before I had a chance to schedule a vet appointment, she developed a limp yesterday evening.
So we're off to the vet today with a second sick dog for another round of tests. I hope we caught this early enough in Riley's case.
Next week (after the paycheck I'll pick up today clears the bank) I'm going to see about getting two of the other dogs, Lola and Kody, in to be tested. My fifth dog, Lulu, actually had a blood panel done in February for something unrelated and was just fine. Lulu also doesn't spend the day outside playing like the big dogs, so her chance of being exposed to ticks isn't as great.
Wish us luck...
edit - Forgot to mention, just sort of as a disclaimer: my dogs are all on flea/tick and heartworm prevention all year round. They all get interceptor for heartworm prevention once a month. The four big dogs get Advantix for fleas/ticks/mosquitoes during the spring/summer/fall months and Frontline Plus during the end of fall/winter months (we rotate to avoid resistance). Lulu is on Frontline Plus all year round (the vet was worried that Advantix was too strong for such a small dog). My boyfriend also treats the yard with tick granules a few times a year.
I really worry that this year is going to be the worst we've seen when it comes to ticks since it isn't even Spring yet and already the ticks are out in full force despite all our prevention methods.
At the beginning of the month, my babygirl Wrangler (Australian Shepherd mix) was diagnosed with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. She never showed any symptoms except one morning she started limping. After taking her to the vet for x-rays, a blood panel showed that her platelet count was dangerously low. After a few other tests, we pin-pointed RMSF as the problem. She's been on treatment - antibiotics and steriods - since, and still shows no symptoms and is doing well.
The vets I saw told me I shouldn't have to worry about testing my other four dogs, that the chances of an infected tick biting more than one wasn't very high. I was told to watch for symptoms instead, even though Wrangler never showed any. I wasn't really happy with this, and have been worried about my other babies ever since... but at the same time was a little relieved not to have to spend a few hundred more dollars to run tests on four more.
Wednesday night, I was telling my boyfriend that I was worried about one of my other girls, Riley (Pit Bull mix) because she looks like she's losing a bit of weight and has been less energetic lately. Before I had a chance to schedule a vet appointment, she developed a limp yesterday evening.
So we're off to the vet today with a second sick dog for another round of tests. I hope we caught this early enough in Riley's case.
Next week (after the paycheck I'll pick up today clears the bank) I'm going to see about getting two of the other dogs, Lola and Kody, in to be tested. My fifth dog, Lulu, actually had a blood panel done in February for something unrelated and was just fine. Lulu also doesn't spend the day outside playing like the big dogs, so her chance of being exposed to ticks isn't as great.
Wish us luck...
edit - Forgot to mention, just sort of as a disclaimer: my dogs are all on flea/tick and heartworm prevention all year round. They all get interceptor for heartworm prevention once a month. The four big dogs get Advantix for fleas/ticks/mosquitoes during the spring/summer/fall months and Frontline Plus during the end of fall/winter months (we rotate to avoid resistance). Lulu is on Frontline Plus all year round (the vet was worried that Advantix was too strong for such a small dog). My boyfriend also treats the yard with tick granules a few times a year.
I really worry that this year is going to be the worst we've seen when it comes to ticks since it isn't even Spring yet and already the ticks are out in full force despite all our prevention methods.
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