Canine Ehrlichiosis - Symptoms and Treatment

In addition to being uncomfortable and unpleasant, there are many diseases that a tick can transmit to a dog, some of them quite serious.An example is ehrlichiosis , a pathology caused by a somewhat peculiar bacterium that, among other conditions, can cause anemia in our furry.

Fortunately, there are medications that can solve this pathology.If you want to know more about ehrlichiosis in dogs, their symptoms and their treatment , in this article of ExpertAnimal we tell you all about this disease.

What is canine ehrlichiosis?

Canine ehrlichiosis is caused by a type of bacteria belonging to the genus Ehrlichia , being the most frequently involved Ehrlichia canis . This germ is characterized by being extraordinarily small and living inside the canine cells.

Ehrlichiosis is transmitted by ticks , specifically those of the genus Rhipicephalus , so protecting our pets with products with antiparasitic effect, either in pipette or collar format, is essential to prevent the process and preserve health of our pets.

The ailment causes very serious symptoms that we will study next, such as anemia or hemorrhages, although, as we will see later, there are several treatments with which good results are obtained.

What are the symptoms of canine ehrlichiosis?

1.Incubation phase

The incubation phase of this disease has a variable duration , which can range from just over a week after the bite from the tick to almost a month.Symptoms are usually detected more frequently in spring and autumn , because that is when more ticks are in the middle.

2.Acute phase

After the incubation period, the acute phase of the disease is established, in which we can observe a sensation of weakness and tiredness in the dog, which is sometimes accompanied by loss of weight and nasal and ocular secretions.

Although less frequently, there may also be nervous symptoms and muscle spasms.This stage usually causes fever and the animal's nodes increase in size, and sometimes edema in the scrotum of males.

It is worth mentioning that sometimes the symptoms of the acute phase do not manifest or are not detected taken by the owners, but, in any case, they usually disappear in a couple of weeks, and a chronic illness can develop after a variable period of time.

3.Chronic phase

Yes the process has not been treated in the acute phase, the chronic phase is established, in which symptoms such as anemia may appear, which translates into a pale mucous membranes and usually accompanies weakness, weight loss and fatigue sensation.

In addition, the nosebleeds are quite common, and in some cases, nervous symptoms manifest themselves, as well as lamenesses and joint pain ..

Other problems that may appear in the chronic phase of ehrlichiosis are eye disorders, such as uveitis , which is recognized by redness and eventual presence of cloud-like spots on the dog's eye, and, in the worst case, retinal detachment.

Diagnosis of canine ehrlichiosis

Canine ehrlichiosis can be easily diagnosed by a blood test , in which anemia and platelet count should also be assessed, among other parameters.

In addition, other diseases that are transmitted by ticks and that usually accompany ehrlichiosis, such as infections by Babesia , should be checked., according to the results obtained from the hemogram for canine ehrlichiosis, the veterinarian can perform In addition to other tests deemed necessary.

Treatment of canine ehrlichiosis

Like most diseases caused by bacteria, antibiotics are the curative treatment of choice in canine ehrlichiosis, anyway, being Ehrlichia a bacterium that lodges inside the dog's cells, is able to resist the action of most antibiotics , so that not all are effective.

In any case, doxycycline and tetracyclines, and, to a lesser extent, enrofloxacin, are generally effective, as is imidocarbamate, although it should be reserved as a last option since it has more side effects than the previous ones.

With appropriate treatment, the symptoms of canine ehrlichiois improve within a couple of days , although the treatment should not be suspended until at least 15 days have passed.

Additionally, a quality diet, rich in energy and easily digestible, can be of great help for the recovery of animal, especially in cases where weight loss is evident.Vitamin supplements or iron-rich food supplements can also be given as a complement to the treatment.

The prognosis It is generally very good, although chronic cases, which have been established for a long time, are somewhat more complicated to cure.

Can ehrlichia be transmitted in humans?

As with dogs, by biting a tick we can also suffer from ehrlichia , although in this case it will be caused by other bacteria such as the Ehrlichia chaffeensis or the Anaplasma phagocytophilum .These bacteria are transmitted by other ticks, such as the Ixodes scapularis , popular for also transmitting the disease Lyme, which again affects dogs and people.

This article is purely informative, at ExpertAnimal.com we have no power to prescribe veterinary treatments or make any kind of diagnosis.We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian in case you present any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Canine Ehrlichiosis-Symptoms and treatment , we recommend that you enter our section of bacterial diseases.