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What is it?
Canine Ehrlichiosis, also called Tick Fever, is a tick-transmitted disease affecting
dogs. The brown dog tick carries the organism causing the disease and transmits
the disease while feeding on the dog’s blood. Ehrlichiosis has two phases – the
acute and chronic phases. The acute phase occurs one to three weeks after
exposure to the tick. The chronic phase may occur several months after the acute
phase. In both phases, there is destruction and decreased production of all blood
cells (red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets). German shepherd dogs are
more susceptible to the disease.
Signs
Clinical signs of the acute phase of the disease are non-specific and therefore
difficult to diagnose. These may include listlessness, swollen lymph nodes,
anorexia, fever, neurological signs and discharges from the eyes and nose. The
signs of the chronic phase of the disease may include those mentioned above plus
nosebleeds or other abnormal bleeding, weight loss and eye problems. With
destruction and decreased production to the blood cells there may be anemia,
decreased resistance to disease and infections.
Diagnosis
Accurate diagnosis depends on blood testing. We can perform a special titer test
to diagnose if the dog has the acute or chronic form of the disease. Or we can
perform a simple positive/negative test; with this test we do not know the animal’s
ehrlichia titer, so we are unsure if the animal is acutely or chronically affected. We
also frequently like to perform a complete blood count to measure the number of
red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets in the dog’s blood. A history of prior
tick infestation is a helpful clue. However, many owners are unaware that a tick
ever bit their dog. And, it only takes one tick to transmit the organism that causes
the disease.
Treatment
The acute phase of the disease usually responds well to treatment. The chronic
phase is difficult to treat and may require several months of therapy. Treatment for
both phases involves specific antibiotics. Some dogs may require other
supportive therapies, such as blood transfusions, anti-vomiting drugs and
painkillers. We like to monitor our patients with reexaminations and perhaps repeat
blood testing every two to four weeks. Unfortunately, some chronically affected
dogs require life-long therapy, and the disease can occasionally be fatal.
Prevention
The best prevention is to keep your dog free of ticks. At Brown Road Animal Clinic
we recommend the use of Frontline on a monthly basis. Frontline will kill all ticks on
the dog, usually within 48 hours. However, dog owners must also spray the house
and yard for ticks. Remember, the brown dog tick is the most widely distributed
tick in the United States. It seldom attacks man as it feeds on dog’s blood. It
infests any place the dog lives, including dog kennels, runs, backyards and even
the home. Ticks may hide in baseboards, curtains, carpets and windows. Severely
infected premises may require a pest control operator to successfully control the
problem and/or rid the problem.
