My dog takes doxycycline & tramadol for Lyme. Why can't he stand?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Max! Most dogs with Lyme improve on doxycycline with in 3 days and STAY better. They don't relapse on meds. The most common reason for initially doing well on the doxycycline and then getting worse again is immune mediated polyarthopathy. That is treated with immunosuppressants like prednisone. I would get a second opinion. I wish Max a speedy recovery!

I'm sorry Thor has Lyme disease! The antibiotics can cause a loss of appetite as a side effect, so that could be why his appetite comes and goes. Lyme disease does cause painful and swollen joints, and that may explain why he doesn't want to get up and walks very stiffly. Difficulty breathing can also be part of the course of the disease. The normal course of treatment with antibiotics for Lyme disease is 30 days, but sometime treatment may go on longer. I would give your vet a call in the morning to let them know you haven't seen any improvement in Thor, and they can advise you if they want you to bring him in for a health check.

Doxycycline would not normally cause trembling or any neurological problems. It does sometimec cause the dog (and people also) to not be hungry or get nauseous. I would not worry about the trembling in his sleep, he may be dreaming which might cause the trembling. Keep giving him the Doxycycline and prednisone as prescribed by your veterinarian, as tick borne diseases such as Anaplasmosis, and Ehrlichiosis can be lethal if not completely cured. Doxycycline is usually the best choice.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Cosmo. I'm sorry he has Lyme disease. The most common side effects of doxycycline HYC include vomiting, diarrhea, and a loss of appetite. More serious side effects include liver failure characterized by a yellowing of the skin, as well as seizures, bleeding, behavior changes, trouble swallowing, or an upset stomach when doxycycline has not been just given. Increased thirst is not a side effect of this medication, but some dogs with Lyme disease may develop kidney disease. One of the signs of kidney disease is increased thirst. I would not stop the medication, and I would give his vet a call immediately. It may be best you bring him into the vet immediately. Best of luck.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The recommended dose of doxycycline for Lyme disease is 20mg/lb once daily, so Joey should be taking around 200mg a day. Rarely doxycycline is used at higher doses or more frequently than once every 24hrs. Please, get in touch with your local vet to discuss the treatment as it sounds that the dose should be slightly adjusted.

We certainly hear reports of dogs with arthritis experiencing difficulty with weather change. In this case, I cannot say that it is not out of the realm of possibility but in a 6 year old dog seems less likely. It is more likely the joint pain is secondary to Lyme disease as it can cause polyarthritis. You need to continue his antibiotics and follow up with your veterinarian to discuss joint taps. Joint taps are a diagnostic test that utilizes a needle to remove fluid from the joint space for evaluation. If we observe inflammation in the joints additional therapy may be needed.

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. I'm sorry that Haus is having this issue. I would not be concerned about the water consumption increase. I have not heard of anyone saying that has happened with a dog on doxycycline but every animal is an individual and can affect them differently. Either way, the extra water will not harm him. If the diarrhea persists for more than 36 hours then I think a vet visit would be warranted as that can be a side effect of the medication. Here is a link to an article about Doxycycline use in pets: ( https://www.petplace.com/article/drug-library/drug-library/library/doxycycline-vibramycin-for-dogs-and-cats/ ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.