The specific approach to their use is dependent on the individual affected and the stage of the disease. For most people with early localized infection, oral administration of doxycycline is widely recommended as the first choice, as it is effective against not only Borrelia bacteria but also a variety of other illnesses carried by ticks. People taking doxycycline should avoid sun exposure because of higher risk of sunburns. Doxycycline is contraindicated in children younger than eight years of age and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding; alternatives to doxycycline are amoxicillin, cefuroxime axetil, and azithromycin. Azithromycin is recommended only in case of intolerance to the other antibiotics. The standard treatment for cellulitis, cephalexin, is not useful for Lyme disease. When it is unclear if a rash is caused by Lyme or cellulitis, the IDSA recommends treatment with cefuroxime or amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, as these are effective against both infections. Individuals with early disseminated or late Lyme infection may have symptomatic cardiac disease, Lyme arthritis, or neurologic symptoms like facial palsy, radiculopathy, meningitis, or peripheral neuropathy. Intravenous administration of ceftriaxone is recommended as the first choice in these cases; cefotaxime and doxycycline are available as alternatives.Treatment regimens for Lyme disease range from 14 days in early localized disease, to 14–21 days in early disseminated disease to 14–28 days in late disseminated disease. Neurologic complications of Lyme disease may be treated with doxycycline as it can be taken by mouth and has a lower cost, although in North America evidence of efficacy is only indirect.
Dogs may also experience chronic joint disease if the disease is left untreated. However, the majority of cases of Lyme disease in dogs result in complete recovery with, and sometimes without, treatment with antibiotics. In rare cases, Lyme disease can be fatal to both humans and dogs. References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention document: "Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome". Further reading
Ostfeld R (2012). Lyme Disease: The Ecology of a Complex System. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-992847-7. Barbour AG (2015). Lyme disease: why its spreading, how it makes you sick, and what to do about it. Baltimore. ISBN 978-1-4214-1721-9. Halperin JJ, ed. (2018). Lyme disease: an evidence-based approach (2nd ed.). Wallingford, Oxfordshire, UK: CABI. ISBN 978-1-78639-207-7. Radolf JD, Samuels DS, eds. (2021). Lyme disease and relapsing fever spirochetes: genomics, molecular biology, host interactions and disease pathogenesis. Poole, UK: Caister. ISBN 978-1-913652-61-6. Oaklander M (17 June 2021). "We Used to Have a Lyme Disease Vaccine. Are We Ready to Bring One Back?". Time. External links

Lyme disease organizations at Curlie
CDC - Lyme Disease
Lyme Disease Tests – Lab Tests Online
NIH – Lyme Disease
NICE Guidelines – Lyme Disease