Dog Health

What is tick disease and how to deal with the problem?

admin • 07 Jun 2023

Summer and its delicious weather make you want to be outside and enjoy parks, squares, and beaches with your furry friend, right? But high temperatures combined with humidity also favor the multiplication of ticks in the environment, leaving our partners even more vulnerable to tick disease.

This disease greatly torments dog owners, as there is no vaccine and, despite having treatment and cure, it can be fatal. Yes, that's right: tick disease can kill. You already know, right? Extra care in hot seasons!

But do you know what tick disease is and how it is transmitted? What are your symptoms and treatments? In this post, we explain everything! Let's go.

What is tick disease?

The tick is a hematophagous ectoparasitic arachnid, that is, it settles outside the host's body, feeding on its blood. Tick ​​disease, in turn, is caused by bacteria or protozoa that were introduced into the dog through the tick bite. That is, the arachnid is simply the vector of the disease.

This means that even if your friend is not carrying the parasite at the time of diagnosis, he may be contaminated by the disease because he had previously had contact with the tick. So pay close attention to the symptoms! Yes, we'll talk about them.

First, you need to know that tick disease comes in two forms because it is caused by different agents. However, they cause very similar manifestations and it is quite common for them to occur simultaneously in dogs. See below!

Ehrlichiosis (or Ehrlichiosis)

It is mainly caused by the bacteria  Ehrlichia canis and is the most severe form of the disease. She attacks the white blood cells of the infected animal and therefore her immune system is compromised, leaving the dog extremely susceptible.

Babesiosis

Caused by the protozoan  Babesia canis, it differs from Ehrlichiosis by attacking the dog's red blood cells. Often, clinical symptoms only appear when the dog has made a lot of effort (from physical exercises), underwent surgery or had another infection.

What are the symptoms of tick disease?

Tick ​​disease has 3 phases: acute, with manifestations common to an infection (such as fever and lack of appetite); subclinical, which does not show symptoms and can remain incubated for years after the tick bite; and the chronic phase, which has symptoms similar to those of the first phase, but more critical and intense.

So the symptoms can be:

• fever;

• jaundice;

• weakness;

• vomiting;

• lack of appetite;

• weight loss;

• pale mucous membranes;

• swelling in the paws;

• nervous disorders;

• breathing difficulties;

• apathy or depression (due to anemia);

• reddish spots on the skin;

• sensitive and painful abdomen;

• ease of acquiring infections such as pneumonia and  skin problems ;

• nose and urinary bleeding (difficulty with blood clotting due to low number of platelets).

What are the treatments?

Did you notice any symptoms in your furry? So, run to the vet! But calm down, remember that tick disease is treatable, it can be done at any stage and will cover two issues: combating the causative agent and correcting the problems caused by this parasite.

Thus, after carrying out the blood test that identifies the form of the disease, antibiotics will be applied for Ehrlichiosis or piroplasmicides for Babesiosis, capable of destroying the parasites. It is possible that your friend needs a supplemental serum or blood transfusion.

How to prevent the disease?

The best medicine is always prevention, do you agree? So, to put this nightmare far away from your furry friend, take the following precautions:

• monitor the presence of ticks on your dog;

• give baths  and use shampoos or acaricide soaps with immediate effect;

• keep the garden grass short and the yard clean;

• be aware of dog hotels (if there is another infected dog and ticks in the place);

• apply anti-flea and anti-tick products periodically.

You noticed, right? Tick ​​disease is very dangerous, but it is treatable and can be easily prevented. Take your partner to the vet as soon as you notice any symptoms or changes in behavior. Enjoy the outdoors with your friend, but don't make it easy for the parasites!