Moxie's Story - Lyme Nephritis

Moxie, a healthy, muscular, vibrant five-year-old corgi/jack russell mix was diagnosed with lyme nephritis at the end of July 2009. The disease has turned her into an old dog almost overnight, and the prognosis is very poor. At the time I'm posting this video, a dog that usually weighs right around 20 pounds now weighs 28 pounds. That's a lot of fluid for a small dog to carry! Hopefully doubling her Enalapril and adding Spironalactone will help with that. Moxie was positive for lyme disease on the SNAP test for three years. Because she was asymptomatic, we did not treat her. I don't blame my vet at all; even now it seems like the "experts" can't agree on whether to treat or not treat a positive dog if they're asymptomatic; whether to give the lyme vaccine or not; if you do treat, for how long and at what dosage? In doing research, I've learned that even in asymptomatic lyme positive dogs, upon necropsy, damage from lyme disease has been found. From now on, if I have a dog who tests positive on a SNAP test, I will follow it up with a lyme quantitative C6 test. They suggest treatment at anything over 30; Moxie's was 406!!! If the number is lower than 30 on the first C6 test, I will follow it up with another C6 test later. The price of extra bloodwork would have been well worth it in Moxie's case. I don't know how long Moxie has, but as long as she's eating, playing with her toys and seems happy and comfortable (even on her most bloated days, there doesn't seem to be any pain), I'll do my best to keep her here. I'm slowly facing the reality that Moxie may not be here at the end of this year, and it's even less likely she'll be here for her sixth birthday, which I estimate to be in April 2010 based on how old she appeared to be when she came into rescue. I adopted her when she was probably a little over a year and a half old. I hope others can learn from Moxie's story. Please do not assume that everything is okay if your lyme positive dog is asymptomatic. Please do some follow-up by getting a C6 test done and/or immediately treating. I don't know 100% if doing that three years ago would have saved Moxie from having to go through this, but I know if any more of my dogs come up lyme positive, I'll do a lot more than just watch closely for symptoms. If Moxie's story is able to save even one dog, it will make this "easier" to bear.