Why didn't my vet prescribe antibiotics after my dog got a tick bite?

No, not necessarily. It depends on how long the tick was attached to him. For most tick borne diseases, it takes at least 12 hours for the tick to start transmitting the disease and it must remain attached for 48 hours before it can fully transmit the disease. If you are unsure how long the tick was attached then you should go by your vet's recommendation. They know what diseases are prevalent in your area.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Tick bites do not cause a fever by themselves per se. What causes the fever is the infection they can transmit rather. Most of these diseases though are treated with an oral medication called doxycycline. That is something your veterinarian can prescribe for Julie if they think she is suffering from one of the typical tick borne diseases. Hoping for a speedy recovery!

I would not recommend sharing medications or treating a dog with no symptoms without confirming infection first - you should ensure that the two positive dogs do receive their full course as prescribed. Thorough tick prevention is vital in areas with tick borne disease and minimises the risk of any diseases being transmitted to your pets. Seresto collars (8months protection), bravecto tablets (3months protection) or simparica tablets (4-5weeks protection) would be recommended but your vets office can advise on other effective options and frequency of application in your area

Hi there, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Diarrhea is not typically a symptom of tickborne disease so this is probably unrelated. Sometimes diarrhea can be a result of antibiotics, but usually it starts earlier in the course of treatment, so the timing doesn't seem related to that either. More likely she got into something that upset her tummy. As long as she's feeling fine, probiotics are a great idea, and you can feed a bland diet of boiled chicken with white rice for a few days. Once her stools improve, mix the rice/chicken mixture with her kibble to gradually switch her back. If the diarrhea doesn't improve over the next few days, and certainly if she starts acting sick (decreased appetite, vomiting, lethargy, etc), then a vet visit is in order. Hope this helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Yes, doxycycline is used to treat tick borne diseases. It seems as though the doxycycline is coated in a probiotic. I can't say I've seen this form in the US but it should be fine. Have a good day!

Unfortunately, it is illegal for the experts at Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to prescribe any drugs without seeing the animal in person first. In order to have antibiotics recommended and prescribed, Sandy will have to see a vet.

Hello, sorry to hear about Baloo. It could indeed be lyme disease and he may need either amoxicillin or doxycycline. Before staring him on antibiotics, you can test him for lyme disease with a snap test. If positive, then this could be more of a reason to start him on antibiotics. Hope this helps and best of luck.