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Teddy's Tidbit
tick fever
Tick fever, also known
as ehrlichiosis, is a dog disease that is generally
caused by an organism known as a rickettsia,
Ehrlichia canis (I know canine means dog…). This
organism is partly like bacteria, partly like a virus,
and acts as a parasite of our blood cells and organs.
The infection is transmitted from an infected dog to
another by the bite of common ticks.
 Once
we are infected, we may become quite sick 8-20 days
later; or we may develop a slow progressive chronic
illness, which will not show any signs until months
or years later! And to make it scarier there is
also what is called a "hidden" form of the disease; in
doctor speak it is called subclinical.
The following are the
different forms of the disease:
The Acute Form
causes fever, lethargy, and loss of appetite, and is
usually mild and easy to treat. It may be very difficult
to diagnose in this phase although blood testing may be
helpful.
The Subclinical Form
occurs when we are infected but have absolutely no
symptoms! Blood tests performed may indicate the
infection is present; this stage of the disease may last
for years.
The Chronic Form
can cause severe anemia, lethargy, loss of appetite,
weakness, weight loss, organ dysfunction, organ failure,
and sudden hemorrhage from the nose, bowels, or kidneys,
all leading towards death. Other problems include eye
diseases and neurologic dysfunctions. Most cases of tick
fever are diagnosed during this phase of the disease.
The good news is that
Treatment is usually very effective with most us
showing good improvement shortly after treatment has
begun. However, because of the severe and chronic nature
of the disease, long term monitoring and even some
repeating of treatments may be required to keep us
healthy.
Very advanced cases
can require hospital care and blood transfusions.
To help avoid us
contracting tick fever, there are several methods
available. One is to avoid tick prone areas--ticks love
low shrubs and grasses. If you are like my mom, we love
the outdoors; this is not realistic so we use other
alternatives, such as Frontline spray, Topspot or a
collar that repels fleas (a future icky article subject)
and ticks; check with your vet for their
recommendations. Lastly, always give us a good checkin’
after we come in from outside… a little massage and a
few belly scratches are a nice bonus.
Till next time… love
and licks!
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