Tick-Borne Diseases

Lyme

A bacterial infection transmitted by;

Deer Ticks (also known as black-legged ticks) 

Common signs of infection include lameness, fever, loss of appetite, lethargy, joint inflammation and others.  Signs and symptoms may come and go and vary in severity.  Lyme disease can become quite serious if not treated as it can lead to heart disease, kidney disease, neurological disorders and even death.  If your dog has been positive for Lyme disease in the past and another positive comes up though your dog is not showing any signs (asymptomatic), a test can be sent out to Idexx for a C6 which tests for the antibody level to see whether or not treatment is needed.

• Anaplasmosis

A bacterial infection transmitted by;

 Brown Dog Ticksand Deer Ticks

Common signs of infection include lameness, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, inflamed joints and fever.  If left untreated, can cause chronic joint pain and sometimes neurological disorders.

• Ehlichiosis

A bacterial infection transmitted by;

 Brown Dog Ticks and Lone Star Ticks

Common signs of infection include depression, lethargy, mild weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, pale gums, bloody nose and  loss of appetite.  This disease if left untreated can cause permanent blindness, autoimmune disease, bleeding complications and even death.

• Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever;

A bacterial infection transmitted by;

 American Dog Ticks , Brown Dog Ticks

Lone Star Ticksand Rocky Mountain Wood Ticks

Common signs of infection include redness of the skin, increased water consumption, joint inflammation and sometimes redness of the eyes.

The above listed diseases can be treated with antibiotics and if diagnosed and treated early the outlook for a full recovery from symptoms is possible.