Tick Bite Fever in dogs and humans is common across the world but the good news is it is relatively mild in North America compared to its severity, say for instance, in South Africa. Commonly called as Tick Bite Fever, canine tick diseases are typical to tick bites. Even a single tick bite is capable of transmitting more than one disease. Although most tick bites are benign, there really is no way of identifying canine tick diseases due to the vagueness of tick bite fever symptoms and also the delay before the symptoms manifest. The infected blood from ticks is transmitted to canines, which causes canine tick diseases. If your dog accidentally eats a tick, it could also lead to such diseases. The common and widely known canine tick diseases include Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Babesiosis, Bartonellosis, and Hepatozoonosis.

Following are the signs and symptoms of each of these diseases and their vectors:

Lyme disease

Symptoms of this tick bite fever in dogs appear several weeks or months after being bitten by a tick. Lyme disease is not fatal but can be chronic lowering the immune system as well as the physical stamina of the infected canine.

Vector:

Ixodes scapularis also called as deer tick

Lyme disease symptoms

• Stiff and swollen joints often causing lameness
• Fever and associated fatigue
• Loss of appetite

Ehrlichiosis

Symptoms appear several weeks or months after being bitten by a tick. It is a fatal disease and must be treated with powerful antibiotics.

Vector:

Rhipicephalus sanguineus also called as brown dog tick

Ehrlichiosis symptoms

• Swollen limbs causing pain
• Fever and associated fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Loss of body weight
• Canine depression
• Bleeding and oozing nose
• Runny eyes

Anaplasmosis

Vector:

Ixodes scapularis

Symptoms

• Stiff and swollen joints often causing lameness
• Fever and associated fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Dehydration due to diarrhea and vomiting
• Seizures in acute cases

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Although Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is common and mild, there have been occurrences of acute illness resulting in death.

Vector:

Dermacentor variabilis also called as the wood tick

Symptoms

• Stiff and swollen joints resulting in lameness
• Fever and associated fatigue
• Skin lesions that might look like an allergic reaction
• Neurological problems like loss of coordination

Babesiosis

Babesiosis symptoms are unlike any other tick bite fever symptoms.

Vector:

Dermacentor variabilis as well as Rhipicephalus sanguineus

Symptoms

• Anemia leading to paleness of gums and inside of eyelids

• Weakness
• Vomiting

Bartonellosis

Bartonellosis when left untreated can lead to liver failure and / or heart disease

Vector:

Rhipicephalus sanguineus

Symptoms

• Temporary Lameness that occurs intermittently
• Fever that is intermittent

Hepatozoonosis

Hepatozoonosis is a tick bite fever that occurs when a canine accidentally eats an infected tick.

Vector:

Rhipicephalus sanguineus and other ticks called gulf coast tick.

Symptoms

• Fever
• Oozing nose
• Pus filled runny eyes
• Bloody diarrhea
• Aches and pains

Other tick bite fever symptoms that may or may not be present

• Coughing
• Swollen hind quarters
• Discoloration of eyeballs
• Internal bleeding, which is hard to spot
• Heavy pulse
• Enlarged spleen caused due to failing immunity
• Bloody urine
• Seizures and disorientation

Tick bite loss of appetite

Tick bite loss of appetite over prolonged periods of time is dangerous since it leads to malnutrition. In the case of a tick bite loss of appetite, dogs might prefer table scraps and meaty meals to dry pet food. Loss of appetite resulting from a tick bite fever usually manifests before the onset of more severe symptoms like fever, chills, diarrhea etc. Anemia and high fever occurring from tick bite also increase the severity of tick bite loss of appetite. This can lead to weight loss and decrease in nutrition making your canine less immune and more susceptible to other diseases apart from the tick bite fever it is already suffering from.

Since the symptoms take anything from a week to a few months to manifest and the diagnosis of tick bite fever is tentative at best. The best way to save your canine from tick bite fever and weakness (even death) is to prevent tick bites. Tick collars, periodic dipping (a hydrotherapy procedure used on pets to get rid of fleas and ticks from the canine coat and body) and tick sprays are the best known and tried and tested methods for effectively preventing tick bites. However, there is no vaccine to prevent tick borne diseases given the plethora of known and unknown diseases that might be transmitted by ticks. Your safest option is to maintain a hygienic environment at home and take appropriate measures when exposed to ticks.

The post Signs and Symptoms of Tick Bite Fever in Dogs appeared first on TickBites.net.