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Ticks: what are the risks for dogs?

07.04.2022 · Posted in Pets Articles

During a walk or in a garden, dogs can be victims of embedded fully ticks on dogs. Although these mites are tiny, they nevertheless cause diseases with very serious consequences.

Dermacentor reticulatus, Ixodes Ricinus, and Rhipicephalus sanguineous: These names don’t usually mean much to dog owners, yet they know them well. These are the most common species of ticks that attack their companion. These arachnids are particularly fond of tall grass and forests. Once their target is located, they settle on it and bite it in order to feed on its blood.

The dog may then be subject to an inflammatory reaction in the infected area. But the most serious thing is that ticks can transmit disease-causing pathogens. The most common are babesia, rickettsia and the agent of Lyme disease. Without treatment, the diseases they cause are fatal for the animal.

Babesiosis causes anemia in dogs

Babesiosis, also called piroplasmosis, is the consequence of an infection with babesia. The incubation period of piroplasmosis varies between 7 and 21 days depending on the parasitic species in question “. The pathogen inoculated by the saliva of the contaminated tick enters the erythtocytes (commonly called red blood cells) in order to multiply. Eventually, it explodes these cells resulting in anemia and then hepatic and renal complications.

The infected animal then becomes apathetic and has a high fever. His ***** becomes dark brown in one out of two cases. There are therapies that may eliminate the parasite. They generally give very good results and must be implemented as quickly as possible.

A dog can limp due to ehrlichiosis

Ehrlichiosis is an infectious disease transmitted by rickettsia bacteria. The incubation lasts between 10 to 20 days. The symptoms of this disease are difficult to distinguish from those of piroplasmosis. The animal is slaughtered, it suffers from a high fever and chronic bleeding disorders including anemia. Other symptoms can also be observed such as lameness. If this disease is serious, it can nevertheless be cured thanks to various treatments, even hospitalization.

Lyme disease also affects dogs

Finally, perhaps the most famous of the tick-borne diseases: Lyme disease caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi in dogs. The incubation phase is particularly long for this disease: 2 to 5 months. ” In the acute way, the primary notice is usually a sudden onset of lameness, painful (or even very painful), sporadic and owing to arthritis developing in a single joint.

Other symptoms may appear such as, for example, the animal’s dejection, fever or even vomiting. Eventually, kidney, nerve and heart problems may also occur. The diagnosis of Lyme disease is difficult to establish, and antibiotic treatment does not prevent the dog from remaining a carrier of the bacteria for some time.

Consult a veterinarian is necessary in case of doubt

For these pathologies, the establishment of the diagnosis requires the opinion of a veterinarian who carries out various analyzes (blood, *****, etc.). Only this specialist will be able to provide appropriate treatment to improve the animal’s health or even save its life. In addition, the owner must remain attentive in order to note changes in the behavior of his animal or even a whitening of his mucous membranes which can reflect anemia. While pest control devices help reduce the risk of being bitten, an inspection of your dog’s body can also help remove a parasite in time with the help of a tick remover for cats.

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