Wednesday, 26 June 2024

Joe Brian is under the weather!

 Poor JB is suffering. It began last Thursday night. Day and night sweats, chills as well, headaches, fatigue, stomach pains, rash under one armpit, etc. Two naps a day. I had to do his laundry for him as he was soaking 3 shirts a day. 

Monday, I booked an appointment with the doctor for Tuesday at 4. Trish called Tuesday just before noon and offered two appointments that afternoon as they had a cancellation. I told Trish I'd best pop a bra on, get dressed, and hustle him in! We headed in for 1:30. 

Into the doctor. Turns out he has Lyme Disease. The rash under one armpit is the Bull's Eye rash.  I dropped him off at the Lab for a blood test to confirm it and went back to the drug store for the drugs. By the time I returned to the Lab he was just done. Off we went home. He has Doxycycline pills for a month. Depending on whether it kills the bacteria, we go back in a month and he may get another 2 weeks of drugs. 

🕷Tick Data

There are lots of way to prevent tick bites. The big trick is to get them off ASAP with tweezers if they choose you as a host. Sadly, when my lawn tractor pooched out on me, I got behind in trimming the grasses beside where JB walks. He had a tick bite Oct. 29, 2023, and the pharmacist gave him the Doxycycline for it. He was good then. We'll hope for the best. Still chills overnight. 


2018 harvest

You can see that our tick count over the years is reducing. It just takes one, however. It was 2017 when they released the prevention for cats, Bravecto. You put it on the back of their necks. Works like a charm. In the doctor's office I suggested we slap some on the back of Joe's neck. 


15 comments:

Barbara Rogers said...

So sorry to hear of Joe's ailment being Lyme Disease. Not fun to have those fevers and sweats. Hope he shucks it off with the antibiotics. You are very diligent to keep track of ticks that visit. So glad cats have protection too. Tis the season. Stay cool if you can!

Kathy G said...

Thank goodness he got a diagnosis quickly.

Jeanie said...

Oh no! I'm so sorry but I'm glad it was quickly diagnosed and that he is on the doxy. I worry about ticks up here at the lake, too. I've heard this one is just miserable so I hope the doxy does it. Hang in.

Divers and Sundry said...

I'm so sorry he's suffering from this. Ticks are evil critters and can be hard to find 😢

tz_garden said...

Oh, I hope he's feeling better soon! The doxycycline does bother my stomach for a few days, but that's better than what he's feeling now.

RedPat said...

That is horrible. I hope that he recovers quickly.
Be careful out there.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
Well, b****r! It's rife here, too, and tick checks are essential. Extra special POTP for you JB... and for you Jenn, for the caring part! YAM xx

Elephant's Child said...

Poor JB. I hope the treatment works quickly. And completely.

Nancy J said...

Too late for Bravecto, and depending how ill JB is, he maybe did not appreciate the joke. Hope the antibiotics work well, and you are back healthy again, Lyme disease is not what anyone would want.

Jim and Barb's Adventures said...

Lymes is no good at all. I hope all goes well and he makes a full recovery.

DUTA said...

Bites and stings are becoming more frequent and more violent, causing elderly people to get hospitalized. Our health authorities have issued relevant warnings on that.

Red said...

I hope JB responds well to the medication and recovers rapidly.

Anvilcloud said...

Oh gosh! That's awful. Poor guy.

Kay said...

Oh gosh! Lyme Disease? I've heard of it, of course and was worried when I got a tick stuck on me when I was pregnant, but luckily I was OK. Hey... maybe you could stick that Bravecto on your pant legs when you go into the woods.

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

Sorry about JB's lyme disease. That is awful!! I've known several people who have had it. You guys were smart jumping into medical treatment right away.