Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 38

and also targets the blood vessels, causing a potentially fatal bleeding disorder. Dogs that recover from RMSF are generally thought to have lifelong immunity. There are several tests available for RMSF, all of which can be done at a reference laboratory. There is an antibody titer test that can detect exposure to RMSF but does not confirm an active illness. The gold standard for diagnosis is a blood test that confirms the presence of the actual organism by detecting bacterial DNA. Treatment for RMSF is the same as treatment for Lyme, anaplasmosis, and ehrlichiosis. Antibiotics are effective in treating RMSF if the disease is caught soon enough. A response to treatment is generally seen within 24-48 hours. If you suspect that your dog may have RMSF you should bring him to your veterinarian as soon as possible because the illness can be severe. At this time, there is no vaccination for RMSF. Many people have concerns over using any chemical-based product on their dogs to kill parasites; and although there are all-natural products, none have proven efficacy. There are certainly published side effects of all these medications but they are usually minor. Consider that the risk of tick-borne illness is often far greater than the risk of using a topical tick product. Clinical Signs of Ehrlichiosis Fever Decreased Appetite Swollen Lymph Nodes Lethargy Treatment of Tick-borne Diseases The treatment for all four of the diseases reviewed is essentially the same. The antibiotic doxycycline is given twice daily for a total of 30 days. In most cases (chronic ehrlichiosis being the one exception) treated animals begin to feel dramatically better within 24-72 hours of beginning therapy. It is essential that all the antibiotics be given even though the dog will look almost 100% better after a few days. If you do not see a rapid recovery there is a distinct probability that you are not dealing with a tick-borne illness. Doxycycline has some other peculiar properties besides being an excellent antibiotic for tick-borne diseases. It also has significant anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties independent of its antibiotic effects. This often leads to the inadvertent use of doxycycline to treat any condition resulting in lameness, because regardless of the cause, doxycycline seems to help. If, however, the lameness is not present with the other clinical and laboratory signs of tick-borne illness, then you are probably not treating a tick-borne disease. Avoid the temptation to treat your canine athlete sporadically with doxycycline and consult with your veterinarian first. Clinical Signs of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Fever Joint Pain Lethargy Vomiting Coughing The four diseases that we have reviewed are only some of the diseases carried by ticks. Since ticks are not going to go away, we have to learn to live with them. The most important take-home point is to do everything in your power to keep ticks off your dog. If your dog does come down with a tick-borne illness or you suspect he has, contact your veterinarian immediately so the treatment can begin as soon as possible. D Prevention Prevention is the key to dealing with any tick-borne disease. Keeping ticks off your dog is absolutely the first line of defense against these tenacious parasites. Use an effective topical tick preventative and check your dog frequently for ticks. You can obtain a list of effective products from your veterinarian. Beware of products that claim to kill ticks but only last for a few days, or worse, don’t work at all. Dr. Hyde is a general practitioner who enjoys diagnostic challenges and internal medicine. Dr. Roos has practiced acupuncture and chiropractic for the last seven years and has a special interest in sports medicine.They live with their daughter and two dogs that have the hearts of agility dogs but lack the bodies to support such an activity. Dr. Hyde is an associate veterinarian at Wickaboag Veterinary Clinic in West Brookfield, Massachusetts; contact him via dbhyde71@yahoo.com. Dr. Roos is currently practicing in Brimfield (their home) and South Hadley, Massachusetts; contact her via jardvm@yahoo.com. www.helpingudders.com Where 10-50% of every purchase goes to rescue! 38 Clean Run | June 09

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Clean Run Magazine - June 2009

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