Expert: Charlotte Sherrell, DVM - 8/17/2008

Question
Our dog is being treated for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever with doxycycline for 28 days. (It has not been confirmed, but is highly suspected.) The veterinarian who is treating him said that we should not walk him until the antibiotic is gone. He is a terrier mix who is normally very active and this will be very difficult. The doctor is concerned that if we walk him he will pull against us (he does this a lot) and that could raise his blood pressure. He has had some symptoms of bleeding in his eye and nose which have stopped and he has elevated protein levels and white blood cells in his urine. You'd never know he is ill by the way he tears around the house when he sees a rabbit is in the yard. It sounds like the increase in blood pressure could cause hemorrhaging, but do you think that risk will be there for the full 28 days? Thank you.

Answer
Steve -

The risk is there.  Follow the directions of your veterinarian; he has given you those directives for a reason and that reason is to prevent retinal hemorrhage which can occur when blond pressure is elevated.  


Best Regards,

Charlotte Sherrell, DVM