Erlichiosis!

[Mustardseedmama]

Well, here's a new one! I knew we had Lyme's disease around here---but did you know that dogs can get both Lymes and Erlichiosis? Today we are $179.00 poorer and struggliing to get antibiotics down our (100 pound) GSD every day for the next three weeks.

We give our dog Frontline every month---what can we do to repel the nasty ticks that caused this? Are there any natural products, herbs, etc,...that will repel ticks off an extremely large, hairy dog?

[Mustardseedmama]

P.S. Do any of you have good tips to settle a dog's stomach? Because he keeps vomiting these pills back up. The vet said chicken broth with no food,...then yogurt. I think we're going to have to hospitalize him

[oldjerry]

Try cold cooked rice,thats been cooked in a bit of chicken stock,often has worked for us,best wishes.

[Mustardseedmama]

I remembered that ginger is good for soothing stomach problems, so I made some gingered chicken broth, and after much convincing he drank some. He kept that down, so I tried some toast crumbs soaked in it, and he kept that down. So then I baked some rice in the broth, and he has kept a little of that down. So I pray that we are on the mend and he can keep these antibiotics down tomorrow!

Thanks for the advice O.J.--I appreciate your help!!

[trinder]

Hi so sorry to hear of your worries. I read from your last post that you are on the turn good luck, seems like a worrying time. Once you are ready to start back on a normal routine parasite control you may want to check out http://www.verm-x.com/
I have a laminitic pony and just about anything can upset his stomach ( belly ache leads to colic colic leads to a temerature and cna bring on a laminitic attack).
I also use this manufacturer for my cats and dog but you may need to check out how appropriate they are for tick control.

[Mustardseedmama]

Update--dog is back to vomiting up eerything---trying to keep him hydrated with rice gruel in small amounts. Guess tomorrow it's off to the vet again.

[the.fee.fairy]

Good Luck!

You post has made me tip my dog upside down checking her fur, so thank you for the reminder as well!

[Mustardseedmama]

I don't know why I didn't think of this before---a very dear friend suggested Dramamine! I have used small amounts of this to travel with a nervous dog before and it worked great! Dog has had three 50 Mg doses since yesterday afternoon, and keeping down small amounts of boiled rabbit and rice with broth. Today we'll try the pennicillin again.

[Mustardseedmama]

Dog is out of the woods and on the mend. His appetite is back (with a vengence!), his entire body is wagging again, and best of all---he's smiling at me! Still have a lot of meds to go, but I am encouraged.

[Odsox]

Very pleased to hear that, it must have been a very worrying time.
You (I anyway) tend to expect dogs to have constitutions like a battleship and it comes as a shock when that's not the case.
Sick dogs are just as worrying as sick children.
(and just as wonderful when they get better)

[the.fee.fairy]

So glad to hear that!!

Does anyone know of anything I can give to doglet to repel ticks and fleas other than something like frontline?

I've got one tube of frontline, but it has to be saved until she goes to the UK. She's got to be treated 24 hours before we leave here, so I'm keeping hold of it for then. I need to keep the packaging and the batch numbers and stuff for her passport.

However...I can't find anything like it here. I've tried all the vets in the city and she can get the vaccinations she needs (she's been vaccinated every year that I've had her, not taking any chances!!). I found some European worming medication, so she's wormed regularly, but I can't find any kind of anti flea and tick treatment.

I'm pretty sure you can't give a dog a cat collar (can't remember where I read that now).

Luckily, Nucks is white and *touch wood* she's never had fleas or ticks. I do check her regularly. It would be nice to know if there's something I can give her to help her repel them just in case. She's been making friends with some of the dogs that walk at the same time as she does lately, and although she's not caught fleas from them, it is a bit of a worry.

[oldjerry]

Pleased to hear your dog's getting back to health.....now get some harness,and a cart,and make him earn his keep!!.

[Mustardseedmama]

Oh, usually I just saddle him,.....;-)