Anaplasma phagocytophilum positive....

V

VallejoSheltie

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OK, so just had Boots in for his annual.
Happened to ask if there was anything more inclusive test wise than the standard heartworm test. Probably because the night before we'd pulled the rare dog-tick off of him.

Apparently there is a 4-in-1 PCR test Accuplex 4 (code AC100).

So, paid the extra and just got the results.
Anaplasma phagocytophilum positive....

Boots seems asymptomatic, can't remember any times when we saw possible symptoms.

Now our vet is suggesting either treat with Doxycycline, or sending out a blood sample to probably check white blood cells for deformation ?

He indicates there is controversy on whether to treat an asymptomatic case or not, and suggested I do some personal research on it before talking with him.

From my research today, I gather its a 30 day treatment period, and am inclined to treat as doxycycline reactions seem mild if any.

Anyone have any reasons to not do so?




Not sure if they will price match Dr. Fosters $25 100mg/100 count. Also, felt a little bad about price matching as I know vets have to make their money somewhere.

However found the following diagnostics pricing from Antech with Vets cost, and now not feeling so bad.
My cost $109, vet's cost ~$12.00.
And thats for a PCR test, not a simple SNAP, wow.


https://tamaracvetcom.vetmatrixbase...Vendor_Documents/2013_Antech_Fee_Schedule.PDF
 
Vet prices on doxy have gone through the roof since last year's shortage. I'd certainly ask for a script so you can get the Foster/Smith price...that's a really good price!

My Barkley has been treated with doxy many times for Lyme, sometimes for the 30-day period and sometimes longer. We've never had any problems with it, although I do supplement with milk thistle any time my dogs take an antibiotic. It helps protect the liver and kidneys. It's an OTC herbal that you can find online or in drugstores for humans, although I prefer it compounded for dogs.
 
Was this just the regular snap test?

I was talking to a retired vet friend of mine over the weekend about those. She says they are "instant gratification", but not overly useful for diagnosing any of the diseases, especially the tick-born ones. She prefers the blood tests that give actual data.

My protocol has been this: In the absence of symptoms, do not treat based on the 4DX test. If the dog is symptomatic, AND tests positive, then treat for 30 days and titer a few months later.

I've had two test positive for Lyme. One was symptomatic and popped positive on the snap test. He got 30 days of Doxy, and to this day, 5 years later, he tests negative (my vet tells me this is not common). The other popped positive without symptoms, no treatment, was negative the next several tests.

As a former MRSA patient, I prefer to not use antibiotics when not necessary, since that is how we get resistant strains.
 
Ann, thanks and good to know!

ClantyreSheltie, the was the PCR one which is far superior in everything I've read about it. Just noticed Boots isn't his normal hungry self last night and this morning, although he is frisky enough.

Going to the Doxy, script if I must.

Thanks!
 
Treat him. The price of Doxy has leveled out some and the pros out weigh the cons in this case. Just my 2 cents.
 
Anaplasma

I just had Sting tested for heartworm last Monday and they did the Snap test and he came back positive for Ehrlica and they put him on Doxi for 28 days and I paid 54.00 for the pills.$282.00 later but that was the test and heart meds and flea meds and also a $50.00 rebate.
 
This one would take about ten pages to answer fully.
The question of testing and treatment of asymptomatic dogs is complex and controversial.
Here is our discussion from our website. Please read the article referenced, it is of far more value than what I wrote.
http://www.mercyanimalhospitalri.com/lyme.php

Just to show this is also a question in human medicine, to discourage the practice they made a law in Virginia that physicians had to explan about false negatives and false positives, prompting the following-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DcSwOw7kVw&feature=youtu.be
 
Thanks for those links - the park we hike in has ticks and we usually find some on Hanna ( and ourselves as well - we do a tick check after every walk), so we got her the vaccine this year.
 
mellie said:
Treat him. The price of Doxy has leveled out some and the pros out weigh the cons in this case. Just my
2 cents.

I just have observed that a lot of pet parents don't always realize their dogs are sick or symptomatic and the dog goes untreated...
Click to expand...
 
I am reading the posts and I thank my lucky stars I have never had to go through this.

Hopefully all improves.
 
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