Erlichiosis or tick fever

[BinnyK]

Reading your newsletter info on ticks and fleas, i want to tell you all of a rampant infection of tick fever or erlichiosos in the city. Tick infestation, heavy or light with ticks who pass on this disease can attack the internal organs, make the platelette count of the dog drop rapidly and compromise the immune system.
During my daily trips to the vet last month, when my min-pin was on a drip for over 12 days, i saw many, many dogs come in with tick fever. It is very hot here in Pune, India, and temperatures are in the 40 degrees Centigrade plus.
One night, a four year old pug died on the table, despite blood transfusions, as the vet said he had been brought in too late. he had internal bleeding , but when the owners brought the dog in at 8pm, he had begun bleeding from the nose! it was one of the saddest sights i saw.
So please dont take ticks, fleas and mites lightly.

[Sarah]

Thank you for the post. It's a good idea that dogs are checked after every walk for ticks, fleas and mites. This way, any problems can be nipped in the bud.

[MaryAnn]

Exactly! I give my dog a 2-3 minute mini exam every time we come in from being out and about.

[Blackshadow]

Last year when my pup was 4 months old our vet convinced me to give him a series of shots, approx 1 month appart to prevent lime disease, which they get from ticks. Use caution, my poor Lab almost died from the shot. He suffered a severe alergic reaction, i got him back to the vet 30 - 40 minutes after his with eyes swelled shut, could not walk, or breath. He spent hours there on IV drugs and then sent home with a few different drugs for a few days in order to get all the swelling down. The next month the vet insisted I go back for the second round as lime disease was a bad thing. We did NOT go back for the second or any future shots.

Researching after the fact, this is a fairly common side affect, especially when given at the same time as a pups rounds of regular shots. I just thought everyone should know that drugs for our friends instead of takeing a few minutes to look them over is not always the best answer. Please research all possible aspects, our pets deserve it.

[MaryAnn]

The Life Cycle starts with adult ticks laying eggs that drop on the ground. Larvae hatch and climb on to blades of grass, shrubs, etc... where they wait for a passer by (your dog) to brush past, thus enabling them to attach themselves on to the hair of the dog. ONE REASON...why you should always give your dog a "once-over" each and every time you come in from an outside activity. Surgical spirit soaked onto the tick suffocates it, thus loosening its grip. It can then be removed with tweezers. Never attempt to pull the tick off without soaking it first, as the head will remain and cause infection. Treat the area with insecticide. A special dip/shampoo can be obtained from your Vet if infestation is severe.

[hyuenjr]

My 2 1/2 years old Mini schnauzer Luka had been infected last week with erlichiosis. We made the multitest and it was positive. We go every weekend to our country house where our neighbor has cows, and cow means ticks. Our best shot is to use a product like Frontline Spray every two weeks to keep him save and to inspect him every-time we come from the outside. In Panama, where we are, the government do not fumigate against fleas and ticks so we are infested everywhere, and being a warm tropical country is the ideal place for them.

Any other suggestions? Our vet said that the erlichiosis can be cured but I read somewhere that it never leaves the system of the dog. Is that true? The vet applied him six shots with antibotics and something to raise the plattelete count which were by 25,000 instead of 250,000 as normal. And he´s been treated with doxycyclin for 21 days. After that we´ll make another count. We fumigate our city house as well as our country house and bath him everyweek.

[Sarah]

Please do not put your email address in your posts, as this forum is open to the public... Please read the post called "To flea or not to flea" and try the homeopathic mixture for flea repellent...

[Sarah]

hyuenjr, please edit your post and delete your email address. Thank you..

[mia]

Blackshadow I hope your pup is healthy now, I have a friend that the same thing happened to. His black Lab almost died also from that. I will not give my Golden anything for flea's or ticks. I just check her all over after we have been out and I keep my lawn very short, she will be 4 years old on Christmas Eve and has never had a flea or tick. I don't even like giving the Hartgard every summer month either but I also have a friend who adopted a dog that had heartworm and it is not a fun thing to go through for you or your dog.

We try to do the best for our little buddies, but we need to be so careful. I agree your pup should not have had all those shots at once. Just like the regular and the rabies shots not all on one day. My Vet is cutting back as my pups get older so they don't need all the shots every year. I have little ones also and they do not get the rabies because I am always with them when they are outside.

Take care,

Mia

[Sarah]

There is also a heartworm chewable pill from your vet that also contains medicine for fleas and ticks. Ask your vet, about it..