Tick-borne diseases in your dog | Casey’s Corner - Chico Enterprise-Record

Most people have the same something-crawling-on-the-back-of-your-neck reaction to the thought of ticks. A blood-sucking creature is bad enough — but one that can also transmit potentially deadly diseases puts ticks in a whole new category.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, of all diseases transmitted to humans by insects and related arthropods, those spread by ticks account for more than 75% of infections reported annually. But it's not just humans: our four-legged companions are equally at risk. Each year, thousands of dogs become infected with and fall seriously ill from tick-borne diseases.

Here in California, the Western black-legged tick — also known as the deer tick — and the brown dog tick are responsible for the most serious of these diseases, including Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis and babesiosis.

Lyme Disease

From its genesis in Lyme, Connecticut, Lyme disease and the black-legged tick which transmits it, is now found in every state in the nation.

Dogs infected with Lyme can experience fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, lameness and swollen joints. If treated early with antibiotics, most dogs fully recover, although some will suffer lifelong joint pain from the damage caused by the bacteria.

Left untreated, a dog can develop life-threatening kidney failure or serious cardiac or neurological problems.

Anaplasmosis

As with Lyme, anaplasmosis is most commonly transmitted by the bite of a deer tick, and the two diseases also share symptoms in common. A 30-day regimen of the antibiotic doxycycline is the treatment of choice, during which most dogs see rapid improvement. A complete blood count and/or the more advanced polymerase chain reaction test will confirm that the dog is infected.

Untreated anaplasmosis can result in serious bleeding problems or organ and respiratory failure, and in severe cases can be fatal.

Ehrlichiosis

In California, this disease is transmitted mainly by the brown dog tick. Like Lyme and anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis can cause fever, lameness and swollen joints; but its hallmarks are inflamed lymph glands, weight loss and spontaneous bleeding.

Ehrlichiosis is only diagnosable once symptoms have begun showing; if the dog is tested before then, results will be negative.

Early treatment with doxycycline usually means a dog will recover fully, but for dogs in the chronic stage, the mortality rate is much higher.

Babesiosis

Far less common is babesiosis, which can be carried by the deer tick as well as other tick species. Many dogs show no symptoms until they reach the acute, severe phase of babesiosis, which is characterized by fever, weakness, pale mucous membranes, abnormally dark urine, swollen lymph nodes and an enlarged spleen.

Depending on what body systems are affected, the prognosis for dogs infected with this disease is uncertain.

Prevention

Preventing these tick-borne diseases is key to your dog's health. First, talk to your veterinarian about the best tick prevention products for your dog and what tickborne diseases are common in your area. If your dog spends time outdoors, check them daily for ticks, paying close attention to the head, ears, shoulders and upper leg areas. If you find a tick, remove it immediately, using tweezers to pull it from the dog's skin. Dispose of the tick by putting it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape or flushing it down the toilet. If you don't object to pesticides, treat your yard to kill ticks.

Alternatively, take measures to clear leaf litter and weeds where ticks will hide. Keep your lawn mowed and raked, and erect fences to keep deer and other wildlife out of your yard.

Joan Merriam lives in Nevada County with her golden retriever Joey, her Maine coon cat Indy and the abiding spirit of her beloved golden retriever Casey in whose memory this column is named. You can reach Joan at joan@joanmerriam.com. And if you're  looking for a golden, be sure to check out Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue.