[ SHOWGSD-L ] Lymes and aggression
- From: "Connie" <ValleSaladoGSD@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Showgsd-l" <Showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 29 May 2008 20:00:07 -0600
The post below was sent to me today by an all breed rescuer in Colorado . I
thought that the list might be interested in it .
Connie Palmer Williams - Executive Director
German Shepherd Rescue of Central Colorado Inc.
..."I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep"...Robert Frost
www.GSDRColorado.com
Join us at www.GSDwest.com German Shepherd Rescue forum
_______________________________________________________________
Don't know if you have seen this, but it was suggested that I share it with
rescue groups. It comes from a a group in Florida. Thanks, Lorraine.
PLEASE FORWARD.
DO NOT REPLY TO SENDER
SEE CONTACT INFO BELOW
-----Original Message-----
From: Kenneth Cain [mailto:kencc4791@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Saturday, May 03, 2008 10:22 PM
Subject: FYI Aggressive behavior and Lyme Disease link
Important medical info, please read and pass it on.vk
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We recently had a very strange event which I think we should share around the
rescue-community:
Young (~2 years) M Lab-mix, came into our program with a 'questionable'
background; may have been aggressive toward some children; then again, maybe
not.
We kept him for a long while - months of fostering in our premier foster-home,
no problems; placed him carefully, with a single middle-aged man who adored
him. We also, as we do all our dogs, tested him for Lyme. He had it; we
treated it; case closed-we thought.
Everything went very well after adoption - the star of his obedience-class,
frequent alum-visits to clinics - for over a year. And truly adored by his
adopter.
Then, over 12-mos post-adopt, Mojo became suddenly, erratically, and seriously
aggressive: literally attacked visitors to his home, people in the vet's
waiting room, etc. Terrifying. Very-sudden. Totally inexplicable. He was
returned to us with genuine heartbreak from a very loving adopter.
Mojo then went to our regular vet and was a totally different dog: bared-teeth
and growls at anyone who approached his kennel, lunged at other dogs when
being walked, etc. We figured that whatever was happening with him, he had
become un-placeable and started a TDC (Tough Decisions Committee - something
we 'convene' that is open to anyone with an interest in the dog when we think
that euthanasia might be an option).
However, someone at the vet's office said that perhaps we should test him for
Lyme. Huh???????? They had had a regular client of theirs come in recently
with similar, out-of-the blue-aggro, and it turned out that Lyme was the
problem - puzzled them, but seemed to be the case. Okay-hey, we'll try
anything-so we had him tested.
He was high positive!
Fine, we started treatment while we continued to figure out what to do with him
via the TDC. Almost immediately, however, once the antibiotics began, the Mojo
we knew came back!!
He was himself again - bouncy, happy, a bit neurotic, but not at all
aggressive!
The staff at the vet's was amazed, but all confirmed this change. We didn't
believe it; vets didn't believe it... BUT a thorough search of the Internet
turned up a number of studies (plus) anecdotal-observati ons indicating that in
some dogs (and some humans!!) the primary-symptom of their Lyme Disease can be
sudden, irrational and serious aggression.
We've known for a while to check thyroid-levels of dogs that show aggro that
just 'doesn't fit'. Now we've added testing for Lyme as well. And we have -
results not-yet in - another dog, placed 12-mos-plus, returned because of
out-of-the-blue aggro... he also tested high-positive for Lyme!
We've started treatment; we'll be monitoring his response.
So - plug this in to your protocols; worth checking-out. I spent the day today
with Mojo... he truly is just the same dog we placed over a year ago. (We've
let his original adopter know - because he vowed that it had to be something
causing this behavior. But he cannot take Mojo back because his roommate, one
of the people attacked, won't even consider it. For the record, there were no
skin-breaking contacts in any of these attacks, but plenty of fear and we
consider them as serious as if they were full-fledged bites.)
We actually have additional insight into this because one of our volunteers
(human) has had Lyme Disease. Took many months for her to be diagnosed; once
she was, she learned it's a VERY-nasty bug that remains permanently, waiting
for a chance to 'crop-up' again.
When we place Mojo again (TDC unanimously agrees we should), we're going to
explain the background, these amazing events, and require the adopters test
every 6-mos, whether or not he's symptomatic. We have no idea whether that
will work or be sufficient - we're rather flying blind in this - but it seems
rational.
But based on what we know now, it's a real possibility:
Lyme can, in a few rare-cases, cause aggression - aggression that can be
reversed.
Permission was granted to cross-post this.
Sent to me by Charlene Cantrell.
Kim K
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