Canine Ehrlichiosis: Tick Disease: Big Bad Things Come in Small Packages!
Definition: Relatively common tick transmitted rickettsial
disease found mostly along the eastern seaboard, Gulf coast,
Midwest and California. Due to its chronic nature, it is
prevalent year round instead of during the warmer months of the
year.
Etiologic Agents involved with Erhlichiosis include:
Ehrlichia canis - canine monocytic ehrlichiosis Ehrlichia
platys - canine cyclic thrombocytopenia Ehrlichia ewingii -
canine granulocytic ehrlichiosis Ehrlichia equi - equine
granulocytic ehrlichiosis Ehrlichia risticii - equine Potomac
Fever
The vector and reservoir of Ehrlichia is the common brown dog
tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) which ingests the organism from
an infected host. The incubation period is 7-21 days. Iatrogenic
transmission can also occur through contaminated blood
transfusions.
Clinical Signs and their duration can be variable. The acute
phase occurs for about 1-3 weeks after infection and clinical
signs can range from mild to severe. These signs usually last
2-4 weeks and can include:
Fever, weight loss, splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, dyspnea,
exercise intolerance, and lymphadenopathy
A subclinical phase may last for weeks to months and in some
cases, years. Not a lot of information is available as to what
transforms this phase to the chronic phase.
The chronic phase manifests when the animal is unable to mount
an immune response against the organism. Clinical signs can
range from those seen in the acute phase and usually develop 1-4
months after inoculation of the organism. These signs can also
include the following:
Uveitis, polyarthritis, ataxia, vestibular dysfunction,
intermittent limb edema, pallor (due to anemia), pyrexia,
epistaxis
Hematological and Biochemical Abnormalities can be associated
with all phases of Ehrlichiosis. In the acute phase these
include:
Thrombocytopenia, mild to severe anemia, leukopenia or
leukocytosis, hypercellular bone marrow cytology, mild
hyperglobulinemia, mild elevation of serum liver enzymes, and
secondary infections due to decreased leukocytes (urinary tract
infections, septicemia, opportunistic infections)
In the subclinical phase, patients tend to be asymptomatic, but
mild hematological and biochemical abnormalities can occur.
However in the chronic phase, these laboratory abnormalities
tend to be pronounced and can include:
Nonregenerative anemia, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia (or all 3
- pancytopenia due to bone marrow hypoplasia), lymphocytosis,
hyperglobulinema, hypoalbuminemia, and proteinuria
It should be noted that dogs with chronic ehrlichiosis might
show clinical signs, physical findings, and abnormal laboratory
values that resemble multiple myeloma and chronic lymphocytic
leukemia
Diagnosis for ehrlichiosis is controversial at best. Fine needle
aspirates of the spleen, lymph node and lung along with
cerebrospinal fluid can be confirmatory. These tests are time
consuming, can be difficult to obtain and expensive to run. IFA
antibody testing is routinely utilized for serodiagnostic in
animals and humans. Titers of >1:10 are considered diagnostic
but these titers may not be detected until 2-3 weeks post
inoculation and may persist for up to 9-12 months after
treatment or recovery. Acute and convalescent antibody titers
should be compared especially if testing is done in the acute
phase. Western immunoblotting can be used to diagnose
ehrlichiosis in dogs with negative serology and to distinguish
E. canis from other strains of Ehrlichia that may cross-react
with currently available assays.
Treatment for ehrlichiosis consists of antibiotics and
supportive care.
Doxycycline 2.5 - 5 mg/kg PO q 12-24 hours for 10-14 days 5 -
10 mg/kg PO q 12-24 hours for 10-14 days New preliminary data
suggests that the recommended length of treatment should be 2-3
months Tetracycline 22 mg/kg PO q 8 hours for 14-21 days (give
on an empty stomach) Imidocarb dipropionate (Imizol) 5 mg/kg
IM, SQ repeated q 14 days for refractory Erhlichiosis and in
dogs with concurrent Erhlichia and Babesia infections
Supportive therapy Blood transfusions Fluid Therapy
Prognosis is excellent with proper treatment unless the bone
marrow is severely hypoplastic or renal changes occur. Clinical
response is usually seen within 48 hours of antibiotic
(doxycyline) administration but chronic forms may take up to 3-4
weeks before a clinical response is noted. Some dogs do not
respond to standard antimicrobial therapy however. German
shepherd dogs and Doberman pinschers appear to have a more
severe form of the chronic stage.
Prevention is through avoidance of tick-infested areas, and
control with the use of sprays, spot-ons and collars.
The above is general veterinary information. Do not begin
any course of treatment without consulting your regular
veterinarian. All animals should be examined at least once every
12 months.
Vaccinating Your Dog - How Much And How Often?
Pet lovers know that it is very important to vaccinate their dogs, but how early and how often are two questions that are currently much on their minds as well as on the minds of the veterinary community at large. While vets agree that it is still vital to vaccinate puppies at 6 weeks for distemper and measles if they did not nurse during the first few hours after they were born and again at 8, 12, and 16 weeks for Distemper, Canine Infectious Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus, and Coronavirus (DHLPPC), there have been questions as to whether the traditionally recommended (and in some states required) annual vaccinations are necessary. Puppies are also vaccinated for rabies at six months and this, too, is repeated annually.
The concerns that some dog owners have is whether the repeated dog vaccinations are really necessary and whether they are, in fact, doing more harm than good. Vaccinations work by stimulating the dog’s immune system, encouraging it to readily produce antibodies to fight against specific types of bacteria and viruses. Stimulating the immune system this way comes at a price - the actual introduction of the offending agent in some form to the dog’s system, leading to the concerns of dog lovers and vets alike.
The questions on the minds of those concerned are “is it dangerous to repeatedly vaccinate my dog each year” and “how much vaccine should a dog receive and how often?” Fortunately the experts do agree that the answer to the first question is a resounding “no.” While there are rare cases of dogs that have become very ill or even died as a result of vaccination, there is no evidence to suggest that this practice poses any real danger to the dog. The animals adversely affected may have already been sick unbeknownst to their owners of had some form of allergy to a specific part of the vaccine. The answer to the second question is less encouraging because, the truth is; no one knows for sure how much vaccine is really necessary and how often it really should be given. This is currently a topic of much discussion and debate in veterinary circles.
The best advice that dog owners can take is to continue vaccinating their dogs according to local laws and the recommendations of their vets. Since the annual vaccines are not harming the dogs in any evident way, there is no cause for alarm and no harm in continuing the same routine until the veterinary community makes up its collective mind that a change is in order with regard to dog vaccinations.
About the Author
This article provided courtesty of http://www.puppy-training-guide.com
Alaskan Malamute - The Nordic Sled Dog
The Alaskan Malamute is a medium-large to large dog that weighs between 70-95 pounds and measures up to 25″. They are best known as sled dogs and are used to hard work. They ideal for cold climates or homes that will keep them cool and hydrated in hot summers. The Alaskan Malamute has a thick, coarse outer coat and wooly, dense undercoat. They are dressed for cold weather. If you own an Alaskan Malamute and live in a warmer climate, you need to make sure that they have a place to get out of the sun and plenty of water.
They come in a variety of colors including solid white, shadings of light to medium gray, black, sable, and red. In animals with shadings, parts of legs, feet, the underbody, and part of face markings are predominantly white. The AKC does not recognize any other solid colors than white.
Alaskan Malamutes are independent, friendly and loyal. They are more active as puppies and tend to mellow when they get older. They are chewers, diggers and explorers. If you don’t want it played with, than put it away. When your Alaskan Malamute is outside, make sure that they can’t dig out of the yard or jump over they fence. They are not good apartment, small home or city dogs. They love to be outside and need plenty of room to play. Because they are extremely playful as puppies, they would be better for older children until they become calmer. They work best with other animals and pets when they are socialized at a young age. They can be aggressive towards other dogs and can consider small animals prey. This is an ideal dog for a family home that allows plenty of outdoor time to play and explore
The breed dates back over 2000 years and is a native of Alaska. They were originally used as sled dogs by the Alaskan Malamute Eskimo tribe. In addition to a companion dog, the Alaskan Malamutes are still used as sled dogs for racing, exploration and families living in arctic regions.
As hardworking sled dogs, they are important household pets for families living in cold, snow covered areas and imperative to their way of life. If you are looking for an independent but loving companion, the Alaskan Malamute is a perfect dog for you.
Learn more about dogs and dog care at Dear Doggy. You can also visit our Alaskan Malamute page in the dog breeds section of our website for more information.
Love Watching Your Dog Wear Handmade Dog Scarf’s Just To Sui
© Copyright 2005 Krystine Lewis
http://www.free-dog-scarf.com
Yes! We love our wonderful and dear Pooches! We care for them
so much that we love to dress them up in all sorts of dog clothing. Take
for instance, a handmade Dog Scarf. These great looking little dog scarf’s
do come in all sorts of fun colors just to suit your dog’s personality.
I was recently researching “dog clothing” on some of the more well known
search engines. I was amazed at all of the many different things that we can
clothe our dog’s with. On one such search, I found tee shirts, dog scarf’s,
sweaters, jackets, coats and boots. There were designer sunsuit’s, petjama’s
and playsuit’s. Of course, not to mention your regular old “tuxedo and gown’s”
for the poochies who get married. How incredible! I was astounded at how
some websites really cater to the dog’s and their owners.
I personally have found that my two dogs love to get dressed up with lots of
dog accessories that I make for them. I love to Crochet and create new
things all the time for my two dogs to play with. I have made dog blankets,
dog scarf’s, dog necklaces, dog ball’s and fun loving dog toys. They can
play to their hearts content.
It’s a real joy to see how much your dog loves a new dog scarf or dog necklace.
You can see it in their eyes and how they play and prance around. You know
that you’ve made them one “happy pooch”. They love all the attention that you
give them and they play on that attention all day long! Enjoy your dog…they
truly are a Woman’s best friend.
About the Author
Krystine Lewis created a website geared toward ” Handmade Pet Accessories,
Dog Training, Free Crochet Patterns” and other material for your enjoyment.
Visit her website to learn all the tips, tricks and resources she has available.