My gelding has been NQR for a month or so when it comes to trimming his feet. This time he was worse than last month. Trouble picking up his feet, holding them up, moving them almost like he didn’t know where they were, and stiff. I had the vet out yesterday and he pulled blood to test for Lyme. Meanwhile, the horse is on Bute and seems to be feeling much better. What do I need to know in case he tests positive? I already have probiotics to give him. Anything else I should do? I’m sure the vet will give me detailed instructions but I’d like to be prepared with all the knowledge I can get and questions to ask.
My Lyme horses are on a month of minocycline. Depending on the titer, the vet may want to start with bigger guns, like IV oxytet. These antibiotics can be rough on them, so probiotics and ulcer preventative may be useful (especially if he’s on bute.)
Good luck!
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Not a vet, but my previous horse did have several bouts of lyme disease.
I would make sure that the vet is having the Cornell test done for lyme, which tends to be more accurate than other tests.
If the horse does have lyme, then be aggressive about treating it. It is a very difficult disease to knock out completely, although horses typically start to feel a lot better within the first two weeks of treatment.
If the horse is stiff even after treatment, it may be worthwhile to talk to the vet about treatments for arthritis or the efficacy of supplements. I found that feeding a joint supplement with HA in it was very helpful for my mare; I also found that accupuncture periodically was helpful.
Good luck.
My horse tested chronic positive on the Cornell test recently. You’ll get a #, I think chronic ranges from 1500 up to 26,000+? My horse was at 3700.
We did a month of Doxy with him. My vet said really severe cases you’ll notice a difference within a few days, but most cases you’ll see a difference between weeks 2-3.
My horse improved somewhat after one week, got better with week two, then WOW week three was the big game changer. He was sore and stiff everywhere, and he was performing poorly under saddle. He’s done a complete 180 after the doxy treatment.
If your horse is positive, stock up on applesauce and dosing syringes to mix the meds and paste him. I went through 2 big econo jars of applesauce. A few other horses where I board also tested positive and were treated (we’re in PA, tick capital of the US), and they wouldn’t eat the meds mixed in their regular grain, even the apple flavored doxy. One horse was getting mino, and he would eat it mixed in grain with a generous helping of molasses. He’s a very food-motivated QH. The other two (mine OTTB and one other horse, WB) had to be pasted 2x/day for 30 days. I taste tested the doxy, and it’s RANK. It’s like trying to eat gritty hairspray.
Also a thin layer of Vaseline can stretch out the life of your dosing syringes. They wear out so fast when you’re using them a lot.
Already started him on probiotics so he’s prepared for when the antibiotics start. (Assuming it is Lyme of course.) And he’s been on ulcer preventive for awhile. I use U Gard.
Test was sent to Cornell. Still waiting for results. Vet says he usually treats for two months and they almost always test negative afterward. He is on bute for now and feeling a lot better. Trotting in from pasture again.
Generally he’s good about eating stuff in his grain so I’m not too worried about that. However, if he refuses it, I am an expert on mixing stuff with applesauce and using a syringe. I normally lubricate it with cooking oil. Seems safer than using a petroleum product.
Wow, my horses all eat the mino fine, even the picky one. It’s a lot of capsules, but none are left at the end! Guess I should count myself lucky 
