Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 37

What Performance Dog Owners Should Know About Tick-borne Diseases By David B. Hyde DVM and Julie A. Roos DVM Part 2 Ticks and tick-borne illnesses are a growing concern all over the United States. Each region has its unique tick-related problems. What does it really mean when your dog is diagnosed with one or more of these diseases? Before we begin, you should know there are many differing opinions in the veterinary world about tick diseases and treatment. Our goal here is to give you the facts and describe some of the more controversial topics so you and your veterinarian can decide what is best for your canine athlete. Last month we covered Lyme disease and anaplasmosis. This month we’ll discuss ehrlichiosis and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and also make some general recommendations for treatment and prevention of tick-borne diseases. Ehrlichiosis Ehrlichiosis is a bacterial disease caused by the bacteria Ehrlichia canis. There are other strains of Ehrlichlia that can cause different clinical signs but Ehrlichia canis is the most common. Ehrlichia canis is considered endemic to the southeastern and southwestern United States, with only a few sporadic cases up north. Cases of ehrlichiosis are seen throughout the year because the bacteria are transmitted by ticks which are active all year round in warm climates. Several different species of ticks can carry Ehrlichia, including the deer tick, the brown dog tick, and the lone star tick. Transmission from the tick to the host takes anywhere from 24-72 hours. Once the bacteria are in the dog, it takes about one to three weeks before clinical signs can develop. Dogs with ehrlichiosis can have a wide variety of clinical signs depending on the stage and severity of the illness. In the initial acute phase (lasting about 2-3 weeks) dogs develop a fever, decreased appetite, swollen lymph nodes, and lethargy. Ehrlichia specifically targets the platelets and if the platelet count drops too low, life-threatening bleeding episodes can occur. Like Lyme and anaplasmosis, many dogs exposed to Ehrlichia canis never seem to get sick. They are able to eliminate the bacteria in the acute phase of the disease. Dogs in this phase usually recover on their own and either eliminate the organism or maintain a subclinical infection that can last for months to years. In the subclinical phase there are no signs so it can go undetected. Often it is found incidentally during a routine blood draw when the dog’s blood fails to clot as it normally would. Unfortunately an undetected subclinical phase can turn into a chronic phase in which the organism attacks the bone marrow causing severe, almost irreversible illness. There are several tests available to diagnose ehrlichiosis. The SNAP 4DX test detects the presence of antibodies to Ehrlichia canis as early as three weeks post infection. It is therefore theoretically possible for the dog to be acutely ill and still have a negative test. The test can remain positive for months to years after initial infection. The trouble with this test is, like the test for Lyme and June 09 | Clean Run anaplasmosis, it can only indicate your dog has been exposed sometime in the past. The gold standard for diagnosis is a test that detects actual DNA from the organisms themselves. If this test is positive then you know you have an active infection. These tests are more expensive and available at reference laboratories around the country. Consult with your veterinarian on which test makes the most sense for your situation. Treatment of ehrlichiosis is the same in general as for all the tick-borne diseases. Antibiotics are effective at eliminating the organism from the body, although the antibody titers will still remain positive for an indefinite time afterward. If the test comes up positive on routine screening a complete blood count is recommended. If the platelet count is low or suspicious and the dog has been not feeling quite himself, we recommend treatment. If the count is normal and the dog is feeling fine, then we do not recommend treatment. At this time, there is no vaccine for ehrlichiosis. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is a disease caused by the bacteria Rickettsia rickettsii. RMSF, one of the most serious tick-borne diseases in dogs, was first discovered in the early 1900s in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. Interestingly, most cases now are diagnosed along the south Atlantic region and also in Oklahoma. The tick vectors responsible for transmitting RMSF include the American dog tick, Rocky Mountain wood tick, and the brown dog tick. Most cases occur between the months of April through September. Transmission of RMSF to the host can happen as few as five hours after tick attachment. Signs begin to develop 5-10 days after the bite. RMSF is an acute rather than chronic illness and the signs can range from mild to severe. Signs include fever, joint pain, lethargy, vomiting, and coughing. The disease also affects the central nervous system and signs can include seizures, wobbly gait, and even coma. RMSF attacks white blood cells and platelets 37

Clean Run Magazine - June 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run Magazine - June 2009

Clean Run - June 2009
Contents
Editorializing: AKC Invites Mixed Breeds to Play
Tip of the Month
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Agility…
Backyard Dogs
Communicating the Exit Direction Before Your Dog Enters a Tunnel
Jenny’s Guide to Successful Teamwork: Foundation Training
Skill of the Month
Tricks for Agility: Jumping in Arms
Proprioception: A Big Word You Really Do Need to Know About
What Performance Dog Owners Should Know About Tick-borne Diseases, Part 2
When the Magic is Missing: Balancing the Unbalanced Class
Handling Your Dog in Awesome Style, Part 14: Specialized Handling Situations
When Pigs Fly: Figure It Out with the Figure Eight, Part 2
Comparing the Derrett and Mecklenburg Handling Systems, Part 4: Front Crosses
Are Food Targets Right for Your Dog?
Can You Handle It?
Trainer’s Forum
Building Your Own Indoor Agility Arena
The Table from the Ground Up
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - Clean Run - June 2009
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 2
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - Contents
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 4
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - Editorializing: AKC Invites Mixed Breeds to Play
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - Tip of the Month
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Agility…
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - Backyard Dogs
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 9
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 10
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 11
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - Communicating the Exit Direction Before Your Dog Enters a Tunnel
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 13
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 14
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 15
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 16
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - Jenny’s Guide to Successful Teamwork: Foundation Training
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 18
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 19
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 20
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 21
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 22
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 23
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 24
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - Skill of the Month
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 26
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 27
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 28
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - Tricks for Agility: Jumping in Arms
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 30
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 31
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - Proprioception: A Big Word You Really Do Need to Know About
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 33
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 34
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 35
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 36
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - What Performance Dog Owners Should Know About Tick-borne Diseases, Part 2
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 38
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 39
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - When the Magic is Missing: Balancing the Unbalanced Class
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 41
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 42
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - Handling Your Dog in Awesome Style, Part 14: Specialized Handling Situations
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 44
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 45
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 46
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 47
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 48
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 49
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - When Pigs Fly: Figure It Out with the Figure Eight, Part 2
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 51
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 52
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 53
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 54
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 55
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - Comparing the Derrett and Mecklenburg Handling Systems, Part 4: Front Crosses
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 57
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 58
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 59
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 60
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 61
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - Are Food Targets Right for Your Dog?
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 63
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 64
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 65
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 66
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - Can You Handle It?
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 68
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 69
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 70
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - Trainer’s Forum
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 72
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 73
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - Building Your Own Indoor Agility Arena
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 75
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 76
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 77
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 78
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - The Table from the Ground Up
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 80
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 81
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 82
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 83
Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 84
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