I have an 11 year old female German Shepherd who was diagnosed with Lyme's disease in Sept of 2006. She was staying at my parents house in Pennsylvania and my sister took her to the vet because she acted so lame and actually fell down the stairs. She was treated with a month of doxycycline and her titer decreased from 175 to 133. She had another round about 6 months after that and it decreased to 100.
Over the last year she has had some muscle atrophy in the hind legs and more recently, in June of this year, she exhibited an ataxic gait pattern, was crossing her hind legs and actually tripping herself. So, took her into the vet, he took some xrays, diagnosed her with lumbosacral spondylosis and referred us to a neurosurgeon. The neurosurgeon reviewed her records, considered her history, examined her and drew some blood. He checked the Lyme titer again and it was still at 100. SO, he gives me information on Degenerative Myelopathy and wants to do a myelogram. I have been following Dr. Clemmon's protocol (U of Florida) for treatment of DM for the last month and she seems to be responding well.
My question is: would it hurt to try another round of antibiotics? She has a known history of Lyme's disease and in chronic cases, it can affect the neurological system? The neurosurgeon did say that, based on his examination, it is a lower motor neuron issue somewhere between T2 and L2.
Also, since DM is the equivalent to MS in humans, why is it not treated with the same medications?
Thank you for your time and I look foward to your response.