Lyme disease is serious and potentially fatal to dogs. Deer ticks latch themselves onto the dog and through their bite transfer the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria into its bloodstream. Dogs with Lyme disease exhibit symptoms such as a high fever, lameness, laziness or lethargic behavior, swollen lymph nodes, a loss of appetite and inflammation and swelling of the joints. Because Lyme disease is quite painful for the dog and can be transferred to humans, VetInfo.com recommends taking the dog to its veterinarian for immediate diagnosis and treatment.
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Amoxicillin
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Amoxicillin is produced from bacterial mold. Amoxicillin is a derivative of penicillin and, as stated by Mar Vista Animal Medical Center "represents a synthetic improvement upon the original penicillin molecule." Penicillin, as miraculous as it is, has shortcomings. The intestinal tract is only capable of absorbing about 30 percent of an actual penicillin dosage. In addition, it cannot kill all types of bacteria. In fact, Mar Vista explains that the bacterium staphylococcus changed its own enzymatic structure to defend itself against penicillin. Amoxicillin is more resistant to stomach acid and absorbs readily into the bloodstream in greater concentrations. This makes it more effective than penicillin and a commonly prescribed antibiotic in the treatment of Lyme disease.
Cephalexin
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Hyperactivity is a side effect of cephalexin. Cephalexin was also developed in an effort to combat penicillin's insufficiency. Cephalexin is produced from the bacterium known as Cephalosporium acremonium. It is classified as a cephalosporin and, according to Mar Vista, "is a good broad spectrum antibiotic, which means it is useful in most common and uncomplicated infections." Besides nausea, cephalexin does come with one other tricky side effect, however. Dogs on cephalexin might experience hyperactive or hypersensitive behavior. Cephalexin may also cause the dog to drool excessively. In such cases, Mar Vista recommends switching the dog to a different antibiotic immediately.
Doxycycline and Tetracycline
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Keep your dogs safe from Lyme disease with regular prevention. Doxycycline and tetracycline are members of the tetracycline antibiotic family. In essence, these antibiotics are formulated to go where no other antibiotic has ever gone. Their success in treating Lyme disease, as well as numerous other conditions, lies in the ability to penetrate cellular barriers that normally prevent antibodies from passing through them. Doxycycline and tetracycline also prohibit bacterial protein synthesis, effectively preventing the Borrelia burgdorferi bacterium's ability to build additional proteins and stopping it in its tracks. Mar Vista Animal Medical Center calls out Doxycycline specifically as a commonly prescribed antibiotic for the treatment of Lyme disease. However, tetracycline may also be prescribed for this condition.
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