Tick-Borne Diseases in Dogs

April 3, 2021

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Tick-Borne Diseases in Dogs

Although it is impossible to know if a tick is carrying the disease, just one bite from them can infect your dog. The worry is that the disease symptoms are so vague and owners may not realise until too late that their pet has been infected.

Diseases from ticks are known as zoonotic, which means that you (as a human) can get infected too if the tick latches onto you. If your dog is found to have a tick, it is vital to check your family and yourself to ensure there no other ticks around.

Ticks bring with them the possibility of several serious diseases for your dog which includes Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasmosis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

Symptoms of Tick-Borne Diseases in Dogs

There are many combinations of symptoms of tick-borne disease depending on the disease carried by the tick including:

Fever up to 105°F (40.5°C)
Loss of appetite
Enlarged lymph nodes
Inflammation of joints
Vomiting and diarrhea
Facial or limb swelling
Coughing
Breathing difficulties
Abdominal pain

Blood clotting issues and abnormal white blood counts
Loss of interest in food
Weight loss
Changes in the gum color within your dog’s mouth
Discharge coming from the eyes or nose areas
Lethargy
Weakness
In more severe cases dogs may exhibit round, purplish-red spots inside of the eyelids and mouth caused by bleeding below the surface. About 30% of dogs will experience central nervous system symptoms such as:
Altered mental states
Impaired balance

Types

Lyme disease

is a bacterial infection that can affect dogs and humans and is transmitted by deer ticks and western blacklegged ticks

Ehrlichiosis

is a blood infection that is transmitted by the brown dog tick; symptoms are slow to become apparent only showing until months after the first bite

Rocky Mountain spotted fever

symptoms include fever, a stiff awkward gait, and neurological problems such as the development of seizures

Anaplasmosis

is a blood cell infection transmitted by deer ticks and western blacklegged ticks; it shows symptoms similar to Lyme disease but also includes vomiting, diarrhea and the development of seizures

Diagnosis of Tick-Borne Diseases in Dogs

Prevention is the best management to avoid these nasty parasites. Their bites may respond to treatment but leave adverse effects on your dog’s health for many years to come. If you live in an area where ticks are known, checking your dog thoroughly after walks especially if you have visited heavy, busy areas and long grass, is advisable. If your pet is off his food, feeling tender to touch or is showing any other symptoms, transport your dog to the veterinarian clinic for a full check-up.

Some symptoms of tick disease can mimic other diseases, so it is best to find out in the early stages what the cause of your pet’s discomfort is. Your veterinarian will do a full physical check of the body, especially in areas where your dog’s hair is not so thick to see if there are any bite signs or ticks still attached. He will be able to show you the correct way to remove ticks. Blood tests will be done to determine what the disease is. Often your dog may have more than one tick-transmitted disease which often causes more severe symptoms. Blood test results that point to tick fever include low platelet count, anemia, and abnormal white blood cell counts. Other diagnostic tests can be useful in detecting low protein levels, abnormal calcium levels, electrolyte abnormalities, and abnormal liver or kidney values which point towards a diagnosis of tick fever.