Tick-Borne Trouble: Understanding Ehrlichia Canis in Dogs

What is Ehrlichia Canis?

Understanding Ehrlichia Canis Infection in Dogs

Ehrlichia canis is a worldwide disease. Ehrlichia is a type of bacteria that infects and lives within the white blood cells of their hosts. Hosts can be pets, wild animals, or humans. It is spread from host to host by tick (rhiphicephalus) bites.

It poses a serious health risk as it affects multiple organs like the liver, kidney, and spleen; Moreover, their intracellular location makes them difficult to remove as most antibiotics do not penetrate to inside of cells.

How Ehrlichia Canis Affects Dogs

Ehrlichiosis AKA “Tropical canine pancytopenia” if left untreated, causes a reduction in the number of all the blood cells leading to reduced immunity. Severely reduces the platelet count by immune-mediated thrombocytopenia, a condition where the body's defense system (which is supposed to protect you from infections) gets confused and starts attacking something helpful (platelets) instead. This results in a lower platelet count, which can affect your ability to stop bleeding leading to severe hemorrhage, anemia and a cascade of events that can lead to shock & collapse.

Recognizing Ehrlichia Canis Symptoms in Dogs

I. Early Symptoms of Ehrlichia Canis

Early symptoms include listlessness, fever, off food, weight loss, diarrhea, vomiting, and enlarged lymph nodes. If your dog shows any of these symptoms, we strongly advise you to rush them to the nearest Zigly Experience center and let our vets take care of the rest.

II. Ehrlichia Canis Symptoms in Dogs: Advanced Stages

Abnormal bluish/ reddish discoloration of an eye(uveitis), blood in urine & stools, seizures, bleeding from the nose, reddish rashes on the skin, unable to walk- swollen joints, stiff joints, hindlimb weakness.

Differentiating Ehrlichia Canis from Other Tick-Borne Diseases

Babesia has dark red urine, jaundice, and neurological symptoms in addition to vomits, bleeding, diarrhea, fever, off fed.

Lymes disease has more joint involvement comparatively. Whereas, Ehrlichia has vomiting, diarrhea, and unusual bleeding in addition to joint involvement in advanced stages.

Similarly, Anaplasmosis has more joint involvement, off-feed, and fever. diarrhea vomits, and bleeding are less common in anaplasmosis.

Ehrlichia Canis Treatment in Dogs

I. Diagnosis and Testing for Ehrlichia Canis

Blood smear examination: It reveals the presence of Ehrlichia organisms in the white blood cells. Visit Zigly Experience Center to get all the required tests done for your dog.
Inhouse rapid test kit to test for Ehrlichia antibodies. This is just a complimentary test and cannot be a substitute for proper blood tests.
PCR testing for Ehrlichia DNA- It remains positive for several weeks after the infection has cleared, as it does not distinguish between live and dead organisms.It takes time to clear dead organisms from the body.

These antibody rapid tests & PCR can be used as complementary tests. This means antibody tests can be used to screen dogs to identify the infection. Treatment can be prescribed and after the treatment has been completed and after a couple of weeks have passed, the PCR test can check to see if the infection has cleared by testing for any residual Ehrlichia DNA.

II. Ehrlichia Canis Treatment in Dogs

Treatment with Doxycycline is the most effective against Ehrlichia. If immune-mediated secondary reactions are present in your dog’s body corticosteroids such as prednisone are used in tapering doses. In extreme cases, blood transfusion might be needed, depending on the results of CBP. In extreme cases when the infection is in the chronic debilitated stage, the disease is difficult to treat and hence mortality rate is higher.

H3: How Long Does Ehrlichia Canis Treatment Take?

Usually, it’s a month-long procedure with doxycycline which has to be monitored with blood tests to check for CBP, LFT, and KFT. Blood test monitoring is done at weekly intervals to monitor the efficacy of the treatment.

Post-treatment, after a couple of weeks PCR is done again. If it is positive, another course has to be completed with doxycycline/ chloramphenicol/ imidocarb as per the vet’s suggestion.

Preventing Ehrlichia Canis in Dogs

I. Tick Control and Prevention

Tick prevention is the only effective way to prevent Ehrlichia. Zigly stores have a wide assortment of powders, sprays, and spot-on, oral tablets, with different schedules. Pet parents should ask the vet for the ideal course of action.
Do not allow the pet to play in the grasslands for longer duration in the rainy season especially as these are the places where the tick population is high.
Make sure that the pet wears shoes during a walk outside & check the entire body especially the paws, under the tail, under the abdomen between the legs, and ears for any ticks after a walk or play outside.

II. Long-Term Management of Ehrlichia Canis

Surviving pets can become re-infected with Ehrlichia or sometimes there might be a subclinical stage that has no symptoms but can anytime proceed to a worse chronic advanced stage of infection. So regular monitoring at home for the symptoms and checking with veterinarians is essential at least once every 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions FAQs About Ehrlichia Canis in Dogs

1. How Do Dogs Get Ehrlichia Canis?

Infected ticks transmit Ehrlichia through saliva with a tick bite. Pets in tropical and subtropical climates are more prone to tick infestation.

2. What Are the First Signs of Ehrlichia Canis in Dogs?

Pet parents should monitor for early signs like the pet being listless, off food, vomits, diarrhea, and weakness in limbs.

3. Can Ehrlichia Canis Be Cured Completely?

Ehrlichia organisms have their unique way of hiding away from the treatment i.e., being in dormancy, sequestration in the spleen. Not all pets recover completely. Sometimes, pets recover & can get re-infected whenever their immunity goes down or when they experience stress. This can lead to long-term effects on the organs like kidneys & spleen.

4. How Can I Protect My Dog from Ehrlichia Canis?

Use timely tick prevention protocols & regularly monitor the pet for any ticks. Get the CBP test done at least once in 3 months to identify any sub-clinical stage. You can easily get CBP test done at Zigly Experience Centers