While most of Australia and the rest of the world continues to grapple with the COVID pandemic, there is another life threatening disease that is striking fear into millions of dog owners in Australia.
Most Australians have never heard of Canine Ehrlichiosis before May of 2020. However, that all changed when the first cases were discovered in Western Australia’s Kimberley region. Since then, the fatal disease has been found in most states and territories in Australia. It is also estimated that over 1000 dogs in the Northern Territory have already lost their lives to this disease.
Canine Ehrlichiosis
Canine Ehrlichiosis is a disease that is caused by a bacterium called Ehrlichia canis (E.canis). There is currently no vaccine for Canine Ehrlichiosis, and it can also be fatal.
Ticks are the main carriers of the disease. When an infected tick bites a dog, the bacterium enters the white blood cells and multiplies exponentially. The symptoms will only begin to appear around two weeks after the transmission. Symptoms of ehrlichiosis includes:
- Fever;
- Decreased appetite;
- Lethargy;
- Cloudy or red eyes;
- Uncontrolled bleeding;
- Spots and bruising;
- And swellings on the body and limbs.
Clinical signs of Canine Ehrlichiosis. Credit: Australian Government
Because there is such a wide variety of symptoms for ehrlichiosis, it can be hard to detect. Currently, the disease is treatable using antibiotics if it is treated early. However, the good news is that the disease isn’t contagious. Dogs will only get the disease if they are bitten by infected ticks. That’s why it’s important for pet owners to be proactive about the application of their pet’s parasite prevention.
Protecting the ones you love.
The best protection is prevention. That’s why it’s important to regularly check your pets for ticks by running your fingers through their coat and against their skin. Pay close attention to their head, neck, ears, chest, legs, paws, and around their mouth.
A tick is easier to spot than a flea, another common pest for animals. While fleas normally run all over the dog, ticks tend to attach themselves to feed. And once it begins feeding, it tends to remain there, so a tick will resemble a greyish or brownish blob on your dog. Ticks normally reside in places with less hair, so place close attention to your pet’s head and its paws.
This dog was lucky to survive the disease Canine Ehrlichiosis, which has spread across Australia. (Credit: Richard Bartlett)
You should also use tick controls and seek veterinary attention if your dog becomes unwell. However, as this disease was only discovered recently, some veterinarians may have never come across this disease before. Furthermore, the disease also shows symptoms similar to a number of other diseases, so it’s important that owners let their vets know if they’ve been travelling.
Notify authorities if your dog has ehrlichiosis
Ehrlichiosis is classified as a notifiable disease. This means that positive cases must be reported to the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888.
More information on canine ehrlichiosis can be found on the Agriculture Victoria website here.
