People across the nation, especially those with pets and who frequent the outdoors, are very well aware of tick borne illnesses. Just one bite from these parasites can start a host of symptoms and infections that can be difficult to diagnose.
Lyme disease is the most known and found tick-borne illness across most mammals, including humans and dogs. However, there are other illnesses that can come from a tick bite and with the weather warming, it’s important to know what to look for.
What is anaplasmosis? Anaplasmosis is a bacterium that is spread from the bite of a brown dog tick or the black-leg deer tick which also spreads Lyme disease. These ticks can be found across North America, making it pervasive in many areas.
What are the signs my dog has anaplasmosis? Unlike Lyme disease, which has very obvious markers, anaplasmosis infections can be more discreet. In fact, some dogs may never show symptoms and only be found to have the infection by happenstance. When a dog does exhibit symptoms, they can be described as “flu-like” and often be very similar to other illnesses.
If you know your dog has recently been bitten by a tick and you fear he may have anaplasmosis, keep an eye out for any of these symptoms:
- Loss of appetite
- Lethargy
- Sudden pain
- Fever
- Joint pain or stiffness
- Diarrhea and/or vomiting
- Cough
Diagnosing and treating anaplasmosis in dogs In many cases, anaplasmosis is discovered by accident through routine blood tests. However, these same blood tests and others similar can be used by your veterinarian to test for and diagnose anaplasmosis.
Because some dogs show no signs of infection, treating anaplasmosis can be tricky. The longer the infection is in the dog’s system, the more serious the outcome could be. Though rarely fatal, anaplasmosis can cause serious issues for your dog. Luckily, many dogs bounce back quite well and respond strongly when given antibiotics.
Depending on your dog’s condition, your vet will most likely prescribe doxycycline. The cycle of antibiotics is typically 10-12 days, given twice orally until gone. At that point, your vet may want to recheck your dog’s blood for signs of infection, but anaplasmosis can still show on tests even after treatment and won’t likely require another round of antibiotics.
Preventing your dog from getting anaplasmosis The best way to prevent your dog from contracting anaplasmosis is through flea and tick medicine. Common over-the-counter remedies are a quick solution to stop this infection in it’s tracks. However, nothing is foolproof and careful grooming of your dog will help alert you to any possible tick bites that the medicine didn’t keep away.