Questions re lyme--first time dealing with this

[jcc813]

We had husband’s horse recently tested b/c he started acting spooky and tense in the arena and we couldn’t figure out why. This was after a recent really cold spell so we thought maybe it was weather related but since we had a vet out for other things, decided to pull.

Results came back as:
OSPA: 46 Negative
OSPC: 46 Negative
OSPF: 2612 Positive

Also pulled for EPM but those results aren’t back yet.

I’m still waiting to talk to the vet, but her VM said that means he’s positive for chronic lyme which means he’s likely had it in his system for awhile.

Are these levels enough to explain the behavior we’ve been seeing, though that’s only been recent? What are other symptoms of lyme?

We’ve been trying to rehab him for a couple years now–we know he has RF coffin issues–and in the past few months had finally gotten him back to moving pretty well (did Renovo, Noltrex, Zycosan, hock injections, new farrier). For a long time he kept swapping lameness on different legs, which I’m seeing could be another symptom? We just assumed it was related to foot issues.

Weight is good. Muscles are great (he does have tendency for some back soreness although we’ve already checked saddle fit).

[Posting_Trot]

I’m sorry that you’re dealing with this!

My previous horse had Lyme disease that we treated at least 3 times over a period of 14 years. I believe that she had chronic Lyme disease as well.

Lyme is a disease whose symptoms often mimic other diseases’ symptoms, and that can make it tricky to diagnose as the cause of what the horse may be exhibiting. For example, it can cause a horse to look lame off and on, and sometimes make them look lame in different hooves/legs, and that may be attributed initially to arthritis.

My horse’s symptoms were: 1) all-around body soreness and reactivity. Suddenly she didn’t like being brushed at all.
2) Lethargy in turn-out. She was a TB and usually when turned out she would run laps around the large field she was in. That stopped.
3) shifting lameness in the hind feet/legs. Before we got the Lyme diagnosis, she actually went for a bone scan which came back showing almost no arthritic changes in either hock or leg joint.

In her last two bouts of Lyme, the other symptom she had was cellulitis in one hind leg.

Lyme is a nasty disease. My horse, after each treatment, was rideable, w-t-c, but I stopped jumping her (except over small cross-rails). I also continued to ride her on trails which, fortunately, she loved doing.

She ultimately colicked at age 23 and had to be euthanized. (The colic episode may have been related to a fourth round of Lyme, but that’s not definite.)

[cayuse]

I had a large pony with Lyme, she did exhibited soreness that seemed to shift around. Also some weight loss. She also had some neuro symptoms. She responded well to treatment but the following Spring she developed photic head shaking syndrome which ended her career and although I can’t prove it, I believe it to be related to the Lyme.
I have had 2 other ponies with Lyme, the presented as being stiff, lethargic, and off their feed. Both were fine after treatment. It’s an odd disease, the symptoms sometimes can be so vague that it’s only in hindsight that you can put some of them together with the diagnosis.

[jcc813]

Thanks for sharing your experience! Sorry your horse had to go through all that.

What were the results when you tested? Did you do the Cornell test which has the 3 different results that distinguish acute vs chronic?

I’m now reading that chronic can be harder to treat than acute.

It is very frustrating how hard it is to pinpoint which issue is causing which symptom!

[Ghazzu]

@jcc813

For a long time he kept swapping lameness on different legs, which I’m seeing could be another symptom?

Pretty common in horses with Lyme.

[JB]

The thing about Lyme in horses so far is that it’s really hard to say “this level does/does not affect a horse”. Minocycline isn’t cheap, but with a 2600 chronic + his symptoms, I’d say it’s worth treating for at least 30 days and if things improve, go for 60.

[jcc813]

Our vet mentioned using doxycycline but I was seeing in other threads people recommending minocycline or oxytetracycline as being more effective.

Will ask her about all options

[JB]

generally, mino seems better for chronic, doxy better for acute. Both allegedly do even better if there’s an initial boost with oxytetracycline, 3 doses ideally, 1 is better than none

But, I know a few who seem to have effectively treated chronic with doxy. Mino also tends to be easier on the GI tract