Common Diseases Caused by Ticks in Dogs
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Included are several tickborne diseases that can affect dogs:
1. Ehrlichiosis. This is the most common ticktransmitted disease in dogs. Caused by Ehrlichia bacteria, it manifests with symptoms such as anemia, low platelet count, bleeding, fever, lethargy, neurological disorders, and various forms of arthritis in the legs.
2. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Another ticktransmitted Rickettsial disease, it typically occurs from April to September. Symptoms include fever, neurological issues, difficulty breathing, bleeding disorders, arrhythmias, anemia, and organ failure.
3. Lyme Disease. A wellknown yet still not fully understood tickborne illness. The causative organism is the Borrelia burgdorferi, commonly transmitted by the deer tick. Symptoms associated with Lyme disease include multiple joint arthritis, weight loss, loss of appetite, lethargy, and fever.
4. Acute Febrile Disease. A rare disease caused by spiral bacteria. Symptoms usually include intermittent and recurrent fevers, loss of appetite, and drowsiness.
5. Hemobartonellosis. This disease is not yet fully understood and may be transmitted by fleas and ticks. Hemobartonella is a parasite that attaches to red blood cells. In dogs, most infected animals show no signs of illness, but in rare cases, anemia may occur due to the overdestruction of affected red blood cells.
6. Babesiosis. This disease is often associated with greyhound racing in Florida. It is a tropical illness caused by a protozoan parasite that affects red blood cells. Once infected, red blood cells are destroyed, leading to issues like anemia, jaundice, fever, bleeding, and thrombocytopenia.
7. Hepatozoonosis. This disease is caused by a protozoan parasite. Affected dogs may exhibit symptoms such as fever, weight loss, muscle inflammation and pain, bloody diarrhea, and discharge from the eyes and nose.
8. Tularemia. This bacterial disease, also transmitted by ticks, is often associated with rabbits. Dogs infected with tularemia may suffer from fever, signs of abscesses, and may die from blood bacterial infections.
This version aims to provide a more detailed and engaging description of each disease, enhancing the reader's understanding and interest in the subject.