My dog won't eat dog food while on meds for Lyme disease. What to do?

Poor Jake. Try feeding him some boiled white meat chicken (no bones) and white rice. If he won't eat that, have him seen by the vet. I don't want to recommend stopping the medication without seeing him in person.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Luna. I'm sorry she has Erlichia! The doxycycline can cause stomach upset, and to help with that, try giving her the medication with food. Give it with some boiled white meat chicken (no bones or skin) and white rice. You can mix in some low sodium chicken broth as well to keep her hydrated. It is very concerning she can't keep down water, and keep a close eye on her. Take her back into the vet first thing in the morning if she is still like this. I hope this helps!

If it is temporary (a week or less), its ok for your dog to eat primarily chicken breast or tuna. Try to feed her a little bit of rice mixed with it as well. If she needs to be on medication long term, it would be better to try to formulate a well balanced long term diet that she will eat. Should that be the case, check out this site: www.balanceit.com Thanks for asking PetCoach!

Hello, yes Booth can have both at the same time. I would recommend feeding him a canned or dry food diet. Raw diets can often contain infectious organisms which could lead him to feel unwell. If he is still not feeling well, then he should be evaluated by your veterinarian again. Hope this helps and best of luck

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!

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.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Charlie. Oh no, poor boy. Typically signs of Lyme disease include a loss of appetite, fever, reduced energy, lameness, stiffness, and swelling of the joints. It's not typically vomiting, but it could be another tick borne disease. I'm concerned about him, and I think it's best he sees a vet now asap. I would take him into one first thing in the morning. Best of luck.