Dog ticks: Piroplasmosis, Lyme, Ehrlichiosis…

Let me introduce you to Marie and Natho. Married, fan of Emmenetonchien.com asked me to publish an article on piroplasmosis, because its eurasian 9 month old caught it following a tick bite. She told me her story and I chose to share it with you to make you aware of this disease which can be fatal if not treated in time. Tick ​​season has started!!!

What is piroplasmosis? It is a parasitic disease unfortunately very common in dogs. It is caused by a tick-borne parasite that destroys the dog's red blood cells.

“ Natho is a fairly dynamic 9-month-old eurasier who is always doing something. Sunday evening after returning from my parents' house, Natho looked tired. His tail, naturally curled over his back, was low. I noticed that he had a little fever but I didn't panic; it can happen… The next morning, he looked even more dejected and still had a fever. I also detected that his urine was brown in color. ”

Natho presented some of the classic symptoms of the disease: severe fatigue, fever, abnormal urine color. He could also have vomited and refused to eat. Marie called her veterinarian who received them urgently in view of her dog's symptoms.

A quick break from your reading: if you're like me and always afraid your dog will escape when you're out walking, a GPS for dogs will change your life.  You will be able to locate it anywhere in real time!  I tested several models with Musher: discover our GPS comparison here. Aside ended: return to the article

“My vet did several exams. She did a blood test, which required clipping a little bit off her front paw. Then she made an incision inside his ear to look at the blood under a microscope. ”  Only your veterinarian can establish the diagnosis with certainty and administer the right treatment very quickly. Be careful, the symptoms can appear very quickly after the bite or up to 8 days after the bite. If your dog exhibits these symptoms, get to your veterinarian quickly.

“The verdict is in, Natho had caught piroplasmosis. She therefore set up the protocol and, given the young age of my dog, added an injection of antibiotics as well as an injection of anti-inflammatory drugs to bring down the fever. She put him on a drip and kept him there all day.”

Depending on the evolution of the disease and the state of your doggie, the proposed treatment will be different.

“The infusion did him a lot of good, he had regained some energy when I went to pick him up in the evening. We came back the next day for a check up. The next day the urine had already cleared up which was a very good sign. The fever had gone. She prescribed him antibiotics for the next 8 days. The day after the check-up, Natho had regained his usual energy and the day after he was back to normal. ”

Piroplasmosis is transmitted by ticks. The latter catch the parasite by biting a dog that is already a carrier. The tick releases the parasite through its saliva when it passes the table, ie when it begins to suck your dog's blood. Once in the blood, the piroplasms penetrate the red blood cells, multiply there, and cause them to burst. This results in anemia (lack of red blood cells), and poisoning of the liver and kidneys by the waste products from the destroyed red blood cells.

'When my vet told us it was piroplasmosis she looked really worried as a lot of puppies/young dog are dying from this disease. Luckily I didn't delay in taking Natho; I really thought I was going to lose my dog ​​when I left him at the clinic. A few hours of anguish that I wouldn't wish on anyone… Trust your intuition and above all be attentive to the slightest sign of fatigue. Check the urine well. I would like to point out that Natho was vaccinated against piro….”

To end this article, I obviously come to the solutions to fight against ticks and piroplasmosis.

• First reflex, loot your animal on returning from a walk (especially if it has wandered in the tall grass, in the fields or in the woods). If you remove ticks before they bite, it's even more effective.
• Second prevention reflex, adopt an anti-parasitic (pipette, necklace, spray, powder or tablet). It will act as a repellent to dissuade the tick from settling in your doggie's hair or even killing it on contact with the dog. Last reflex, the vaccine which is more or less effective as seen on Natho and rather expensive.
• I opted for a tablet of Bravecto which protects Musher against ticks and fleas for 3 months. It's expensive but daunting. The tick dies before it bites into Musher!
• Last reflex: remember to inspect yourself well too. These little critters are quick to slip under your pants and play vampires on you too. yuck!

Thanks to Marie and Natho for sharing their story with us, which fortunately ended well. Take care of your darlings and good walks to all!