Ehrlichiosis

Cause

Brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus) carries bacteria and bites dog, spreading infection.

Most Common Signs of Infection

Loss of appetite
Depression
Fever
Painful joints
Bloody nose
Pale gums

Disease Progression

Permanent blindness, autoimmune diseases, bleeding complications, death.

Diagnosis

Simple blood test: Snap 4DX Test can detect four infections (Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis, Ehrlichiosis, Heartworm disease) in one blood sample in less than 10 minutes.

Other tests: Complete blood count, chemistry profile, urinalysis and other special tests, depending on initial findings and symptoms.

Treatment

Antibiotics: doxycycline, tetracycline

Prognosis

If caught and treated early, the outcome is usually very good for a full recovery from symptoms.

Prevention

Daily tick inspection and removal, and the use of topicals and other veterinarian dispensed products.

Important: No prevention is 100% effective. Test your dog every year.