Valentine: April / IDEXX 371 in Illinois (Ehrlichia 1:25, RMSF 1:200). Two weeks prior to this test, the puppies were again coughing, with nasal discharge and Pat was developing symptoms of pneumonia. All of the puppies were started on Amoxicillin but Pat continued to decline. I had to beg the vet to put him on doxycycline in case he had been infected by the mother. The vet felt it could be Distemper. The puppies were not allowed outside until after their first vaccination at 9 weeks old (and had not been outside prior to this)--so Distemper was very unlikely. Four more of the high risk puppies were treated with the liquid doxycycline while the rest started on Clavamox. Pat recovered after he started on the doxycycline.

Yukiko Puppy (8 weeks old): March / IDEXX 371 (Ehrlichia 1:25), treated with doxycycline just in case this was a new infection and not residual antibodies from the mom.
Pat Puppy (8 weeks old): March/ IDEXX 371 Negative.

Eric Puppy (4 months old): May/ IDEXX 371 (Lyme disease 1:400). CBC/Chem showed HIGH Phosphorus, High BUN/Creatinine Ratio, percentages of Neutrophils LOW, percentages of Lymphocytes HIGH and Absolute Lymphocytes on the high end of normal. Eric was also showing symptoms of a bladder infection with frequent urination and dehydration. His energy level was also low. Doxycycline was prescribed based on his symptoms for 1 month.
Eric Puppy: June/IDEXX Lyme Quant C6 (Negative). Not suprising as a Lyme Quant can not detect low antibody levels for disease which is troubling. Dr. Hanover is going to contact IDEXX to find out when Lyme antibodies raise high enough to show the C6 protein this test is looking for. This is incredibly important as the Lyme Quant C6 test is promoted very hard by IDEXX but is most likely missing infections in dogs that are in the early stage of infection or dogs that can’t produce antibody levels high enough due to long term illness as the disease starts to hide in the tissues.
Keely Puppy (4 1/2 months old): June/ IDEXX 371 (Lyme disease 1:100).
Keely Puppy: June/ IDEXX 371 (Lyme disease 1:200) repeated 3 weeks later. Keely was treated the month prior with Simplicef for a chronic cough that wouldn't go away by her adopter's vet. While Keely’s vet was very reluctant to treat her with doxycycline because she didn’t have a text book 3 fold rise in titer, her adopter insisted on the treatment.
Eric Puppy (5 months old): July/ IDEXX 371 (Negative).
Keely Puppy (5 months old): July/ IDEXX 371 (Negative).
Both pups will be retested in a few months in case of co infections hiding.

We didn't know if anything would show up in 4 month old puppies. We were actually looking for RMSF in Eric, never expected to see Lyme disease especially since we only knew Valentine (the mother) had a positive titer for RMSF. We knew there was a potential to find Ehrlichia since Yukiko's titer was positive for that at 9 weeks old. This was quite the discovery and really sheds light on how these diseases can hide for months.

Pat/Goose Puppy (5 months old): July/ IDEXX 3716 Lyme Quant C6 (RMSF 1:200)--redoing with 371 to look for beginning Lyme antibodies.

Laura/Bella (5 months old): July- Kidney failure post spay and while the adopter told her vet (Banfield) about the Lyme disease and RSMF in her siblings, she refused to treat. Antech SA330 was run but was Negative for all diseases. Laura continued to decline and was sent to the Buffalo Grove Specialty Vet Clinic for a battery of testing. Blood work showed her BUN (the blood urea nitrogen) Creatinine and Phosphorus levels were high and she only had 25% kidney function. The specialists also refused to test for Lyme disease. Neither set of vets decided to treat with doxycycline. The pup continued to struggle and the Emergency vet bill escalated to over $5,000.

Debby/Molly (5 months): In late June, Molly’s prespay CBC/Chem showed HIGH Lymphocyte levels. The adopter's vet only did a 4DX snap test which can not detect low beginning antibody levels for disease nor does it test for Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Because of the other puppy’s infections, the vet did script out a 21 day supply of doxycyline.

While we were trying to retest Valentine (now adopted as Annie) for Lyme antibodies--we hit several road blocks. First the adopter's vet refused to retest the dog with the IDEXX 371 stating that the Ehrlichia and RMSF titers were residual. Then the 2nd vet we contacted did the IDEXX 3716 Lyme Quant C6 (RMSF 1:200) by mistake and we know that test will not be able to detect low beginning antibody levels for Lyme disease. At the same time, the adopter misunderstood our instructions and didn't give Annie doxycycline treatment long enough (8 weeks for first infection, 4 months for the second)--which actually turned out to be a good thing as that gave the hiding Lyme disease to rebound.

Valentine/Annie (mom): August / IDEXX 371 (Lyme disease 1:100, RMSF 1:100). LYME DISEASE –finally. After 8 weeks of doxycycline the Ehrlichia is gone but the Lyme disease that was hiding is now present. Valentine will need another 4- 6 months of doxycycline.

Laura/Bella (7 months): August/ IDEXX 371 (Lyme disease 1:1600). FINALLY the answer to her kidney failure. Treatment is going very well. Thanks Dr. Hanover of Animal Hospital of Gurnee!!

Pat/Goose (7 months old): August/ 4DX Snap (neg--not happy that the vet didn't do the 371) IDEXX Add On- (RMSF 1:100) CBC/Chem- HIGH Phosphorus, HIGH CK, HIGH Absolute Lymphocytes, HIGH Eosinophils (we see a lot of allergy issues in Setters with RMSF), HIGH CK, LOW Neutrophils %, HIGH Lymphocyte %. After much discussion- Goose will be treated for 8 weeks on doxycycline.

John/Winston: August (7 months old) IDEXX 371 Negative.

Carola/Angie: July was double vaccinated for Lyme disease in June (which is against our puppy protocols) and has a level of 1:3200 for antibodies via IDEXX 371. Vet chose to retest for infection via 4DX snap test which was negative. I have not been able to get a copy of her CBC/Chem as of this writing (September) so have no idea how her kidneys and immune system are. It is unclear if she will have any long term issues as the adopter is unwilling to do the Western blot on this puppy. Given the fact that some of her siblings started to show beginning antibodies for Ehrlichia and RMSF at 7 months old, Angie could certainly be in danger of additional infections. Adoption agreement requires an IDEXX tick panel annually--so in a year there may be news if anything was hiding. I certainly hope not--Winston is also negative. Paws crossed she will be disease free.

Debby/Molly (7 months): August / IDEXX 371 (Ehrlichia 1:25). HIGH Phosphorus levels in Chem. Molly will be on 8 weeks more if doxy to prevent any kidney damage.

Yukiko/Yuki (7 month old): August / IDEXX 371 (Negative)

Anne/Ginger (7months old): August / IDEXX 371 (RMSF 1:50) and symptomatic- nauseas, feverish and lethargic. Ginger will be treated with 8 weeks of doxycycline (vet only scribed 5 days originally) and retested in half a year to rule out hiding co infections.

While we are still in the research phase of this important discovery I have a few thoughts. My first theory is that puppies infected from birth must have much more challenged immune systems than non vector borne infected puppies. This might explain why a healthy dog with a new infection can generate high antibodies consistent with what would be considered an active infection compared to a pup that has been infected since birth with a compromised immune system that can't generate antibodies higher than 1:100 for Lyme disease or 1:25 for Ehrlichia, Anaplasma or RMSF via IDEXX 371. These low titers will always be missed with a 4DX Snap test or Lyme Quant C6 and any other testing method that does not go low enough like Michigan State University's test (Lyme disease titers start at 1:160) and also Protatek's lab (Lyme titer starts at 1:640). Often Antech's SA330 will show a Borderline result with a low Lyme titer and that is not considered a treatable infection by many vet standards.

Next, while we have a lot of support from many of our adopter's veterinarians and IBR's own veterinarians across the country, there are many veterinarians that refuse to treat a new infection even when the pup's CBC/Chem shows obvious compromised kidney and liver values besides elevated lymphocytes and neutrophils. This was especially true with five month old Bella's kidney failure due to her Lyme disease infection. What seems to be missing in their understanding about these complicated diseases is that one test is never enough, most ticks transmit more than one disease, and it takes months (4-7) for antibodies to show up in an infected dog or puppy. Also the titer usually starts at 1:25 and then will increase as the body begins to fight the infection generating more antibodies usually causing the level to increase to 1:50, 1:100, 1:200, 1:400, 1:800, 1:1200, 1:1600 on up to 1:3200 and so on. HOWEVER, if the dog or puppy's immune system is already compromised perhaps from an infection from birth, the titer may never go any higher than 1:25 or 1:100. We do find that once treatment starts with doxycycline, the antibody level will increase which may indicate the dog's immune system is starting to work better. Lyme disease is not a bacteria, it is a spirochete and it will migrate into the infected pet's tissues and may lie dormant for months or years all the while causing potential issues like kidney failure and brain damage which could cause other issues like fear aggression, storm anxiety, separation anxiety, etc. Ehrlichia and Rocky Mountain spotted fever will attack the red blood cells and spleen besides causing other troubling health concerns like hearing loss, vision loss including Anterior Uveitis, cataracts and possible blindness. Both diseases will also harm the liver and kidneys much like Lyme disease. We also see a lot of allergy issues in Setters with long term Rocky Mountain spotted fever beside Rage aggression. This is why our early detection, diagnosis and treatment protocols are so important.

To date, I have yet to see any studies by the major testing labs (Antech, IDEXX, Marchfield labs, Protatek) or research Universities on the subject of Vector Borne infected litters and diagnosis and treatment options. I have suggested to the head of a major Vector Borne Disease Lab that perhaps it would be a good idea with all their research technology available to them to bring in an infected pregnant Mother dog and test and retest her puppies for DNA if that is the best conclusive data they need to prove transmission from Mother to pup. I was completely ignored. I also submitted our early data to the head of another Midwest University Vector Borne disease lab and again I was completely ignored. I don't understand why--especially when the percentage of infected pets in the United States is said to be at least 80%.

For now--I will continue to list our data and lab work and success stories and hopefully the information will get to those with an open mind that will take our data seriously. Only time will tell.