Symptoms and treatment of tick disease in dogs
Surely you have heard about "tick disease", which is quite common in dogs. Although this is the common and popularized name of this condition, the real name is ehrlichiosis canine or erythrocytis and it is convenient to know it because it is very easy for a dog without antiparasitic protection to contract it and suffer its damage. We must also bear in mind that as it is only transmitted through ticks, if we protect our furry with external antiparasitários we can prevent it. In addition, it is advisable to be careful about which areas you walk, because not only dogs can suffer from this disease, because ticks can also infect humans.
Discover with everything about the symptoms and treatment of tick disease in dogs and know other conditions that these parasites can transmit to our faithful companions.
What is tick disease in dogs or canine ehrlichiosis
Canine ehrlichiosis or ehrlichiosis, commonly known simply as " tick disease " because it is most commonly transmitted to dogs, is caused by bacteria of the genus Ehrlicia, and especially by the bacterium Ehrlichia canis that basically affects canids like dogs. Specifically, the parasites that infect this bacterium to the dogs are the ticks of the genus Rhipicephalus .
The symptoms of this disease are serious and if not treated well or on time the affected animal may suffer more health problems, stay paralyzed and even reach death. Luckily, there are ways to treat canine ehrlichiosis, but we must bear in mind that the best thing is always to prevent the dog from getting sick and, therefore, it is best to use pills, pipettes and anti-parasitic collars to get the different external parasites, including ticks, do not install on the hair and skin of the dog.
Phases and symptoms of tick disease in dogs
This disease in dogs is manifested through various symptoms, which vary depending on the stage in which it is. Therefore, in order to identify it in time to treat it as soon as possible, it is convenient to know the 3 phases of canine ehrlichiosis and its symptoms :
Incubation phase
The disease of the tick begins when the parasite transmits to the can the bacteria, through its sting. at that same moment, the incubation phase of the erichia begins, which may last a little more than a week until almost a month after the bite of the parasite.
At this point there are no symptoms that can indicate that this disease is incubating. It is in the next phase when there are detectable signs that can alert us, which usually occur in spring and autumn, since they are the months in which there are more ticks.
Acute phase
After the incubation phase begins the acute phase of canine echlioma, which can begin after about two weeks after the bite until after one month of this. In this period, symptoms of tick disease can be detected , such as the following:
- Tiredness and weakness
- Fever
- Augmented nodes
- Weightloss
- Nasal secretions
- Eye secretions
- Muscle spasms
- Symptoms of problems in the CNS, such as coordination difficulty
- In the case of uncastrated males, edema of the scrotum may appear
Sometimes, these clinical signs are manifested very little, may go unnoticed by those who care for the dog, but they are detectable in a veterinary review. Normally, they disappear in about two weeks, at which point the dog may have overcome the disease if it had previously been in good health, or if it has been treated correctly during this period, or in which in a short time it passes into the chronic phase.
Chronic phase
If the chronic phase appears, the problem is more complicated to treat, its recovery is more expensive than in the previous phase. In this period, new symptoms appear to be taken into account, since these manifest themselves more clearly and can be easily detected.
- Anemia
- Pale mucous
- Weakness, fatigue and fatigue
- Weightloss
- Nosebleeds
- Lameness and joint pain
- Symptoms of nervous problems
- Uveitis or inflammation of the uvea, with redness and spots on the eye
- Detached retina
Luckily, if any of these signs we go to the veterinarian, this when performing a blood test can detect the disease and start the necessary treatment, depending on the phase and the damage already caused.
Treatment of tick disease in dogs or erichia
Once the veterinarian diagnoses the erythema in a patient, he will immediately proceed with the treatment. Depending on the animal's condition, it may be advisable to return home with a medication and care schedule and make an appointment for the next few days, or you can request the immediate entry of the animal into the veterinary center or hospital, especially in cases of chronic phase.
The veterinarian will prescribe the best in each particular case, but antibiotics will always be part of the treatment, since it is about eliminating a bacterium. However, it has been demonstrated that this type of bacterium tends to resist many antibiotics, especially broad-spectrum antibiotics, which is why a specific one is usually required.
With the appropriate treatment, significant improvements can be seen in the animal after two days, which does not mean that the treatment can be abandoned, since if it is done the safest thing is that it relapses because the bacteria have not been eliminated properly. For this reason, it is vital that the treatment be followed up to a minimum of 15 days or what the specialist has recommended.
It is advisable that if the dog is severe, he remains admitted with intravenous fluids and that, whether he is admitted or not, he is offered very energetic but easily digested food, with high iron intake, as well as vitamin supplements.
Other diseases that transmit ticks to dogs
As we discussed at the beginning of this article, there are many other diseases that ticks transmit to dogs . In addition, it is recommended that if canine ehrlichiosis is detected a dog will be tested for these other diseases that transmit these parasites, since they tend to appear more than one at a time, especially the erlycae next to babesiosis. Some of the most common and known are the following:
Lyme's desease
It is also known as canine borreliosis, is produced by the bacterium Borrelia burdogferi and is transmitted by ticks of the genus Ixodes. This condition causes fever, arthritis, carditis, nephritis, deformation of the joints and problems in the central nervous system, among other problems. If not treated well, over time, the dog may die due to the failure of any of the affected organs.
Babesiosis
In this case it is the hepatozoan Babesia canis that causes the affection and is transmitted by ticks of different genera. It usually causes hyperthermia or fever, prostration due to the weakness and fatigue it produces, altered bilirubin, anemia and hemoglobin in the urine. Learn more about canine babesiosis in this other article by.
Hepatozoonosis
It is spread mainly by the tick Rhipicephalus and affects the digestive system, the liver and the lymph nodes, causing fever, nausea, vomiting, anemia, lack of weight, bloody diarrhea and paralysis.
Each one of them can have different treatment, which will also depend on the general health of the affected animal, but they can be prevented in the same way, protecting the dog from the ticks as much as possible. Discover How to prevent ticks in dogs and also fleas with this other article from.
