The symptoms of tick-borne disease never go unnoticed. This is one of the most well-known diseases among pet parents and also one of the most dangerous for animals. Transmitted by the brown tick, bacteria and protozoa invade the dog's bloodstream and the symptoms vary according to the degree of the disease, so there is little care.

Tick-borne disease can cause yellow coloration of the skin and mucous membranes, clotting disorders, red patches scattered over the body, nosebleeds and, in rarer cases, neurological problems and even death of the dog. To help clarify doubts about tick-borne disease, the Paws of the House interviewed veterinarian Paula Ciszewski, from São Paulo. Check it out below!

Tick-borne disease in dogs: the main features of the condition!

• Cause of the disease: infected tick that bites the animal.
• Symptoms: Tick-borne disease can cause fever, apathy, anorexia and weight loss, yellowish coloration of the skin, mucous membranes, red spots scattered over the body, nosebleeds, ophthalmologic and neurologic changes.
• Treatment: Tick-borne disease is treated with antibiotics and ectoparasite control.
• Prevention: Tick-borne disease can be prevented by the use of tick-killing products.

What is dog tick disease?

Dogs are often one of the tick's favorite hosts and, when an infestation occurs, the chances of some parasite transmitting the dreaded tick disease are high. But what is this disease about, anyway?

Veterinarian Paula explains: "Tick-borne disease in dogs is the popular name given to hemoparasitosis caused by bacteria and protozoa. It is vectored by the brown tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) that through its bite invades the bloodstream of dogs parasitizing different cells of these animals".

The most common presentations of tick diseases are:

• Ehrlichiosis Ehrlichia canis: caused by the bacterium Ehrlichia canis, which parasitizes monocytes, granulocytes and platelets;
• Canine Babesiosis Babesia canis: caused by the protozoan Babesia canis, which invades and destroys the reticulocytes of its host.

Ehrlichiosis in dogs

Ehrlichiosis is a type of tick-borne disease caused by the bacterium Erlichia canis that infects and destroys white blood cells (monocytes and lymphocytes). It can have three phases: asymptomatic (subclinical), acute and chronic. When Ehrlichiosis is the tick-borne disease in dogs, symptoms can vary according to the stage of the disease. They include:

• clotting disorders, such as red spots spreading over the body and nosebleeds;
• ophthalmic changes;
• neurological changes (less common).

Canine Babesiosis

This tick-borne disease is caused by a protozoan of the genus Babesia, of the species B canis, and acts directly on the red blood cells (RBCs) of the animal. Transmitted by the brown tick, the condition causes infection of the dog's red blood cells and can lead to severe anemia.

In babesiosis, depending on the degree of red blood cell destruction, the animal may show yellowish coloration of the skin and/or mucous membranes, also known as jaundice in dogs.

Tick-borne diseases: learn about other diseases transmitted by the parasite

When your dog gets ticks, they can also develop other dangerous diseases, so it's important to keep an eye out for any physical and/or behavioral changes in your friend, as well as always using tick products to prevent infestations. Some tick diseases that also need attention are:

• Anaplasmosis;
• Spotted fever;
• Lyme disease.

Does tick-borne disease catch in humans?

It's always good to remember that dog ticks can be picked up by humans, but that doesn't mean that tick disease is contagious. If your puppy is sick, you won't get sick just from having contact with him. However, humans can pick up dog ticks - and it's contact with the tick that carries the disease that can make you sick.

So if you're in doubt about whether dogs with tick-borne disease pass it on to humans, the answer is no, but it's important to fight the parasites immediately to prevent them from infecting you.

Does the dog develop tick-borne disease every time it is bitten by the parasite?

Even being a transmitter of tick disease, dogs do not always develop the problem and the explanation for this is very simple: "The tick is the vector of the disease, but not necessarily all of them are infected with the causative microorganisms. In this way, a dog that was ticked will not necessarily be infected, but the chances are high ".

But remember: prevention is better than cure. For this reason, follow the veterinarian's guidelines: "Whenever a tick is located on your pet, the guardian must take preventive measures to stop the infestation and be alert to the appearance of symptoms."

What are the symptoms of tick-borne disease?

If you've heard of tick-borne disease, symptoms must surely be one of your biggest concerns. What few people know is that the clinical signs will depend on the disease that has been transmitted to the animal, but there are symptoms in common between the two conditions.

The main symptoms of tick disease in dogs are:

• fever
• apathy
• anorexia
• tiredness
• lack of appetite
• weight loss
• nosebleed
• red spots

Is tick-borne disease curable?

Tick disease in dogs always leaves guardians worried, and one of the biggest doubts is whether the problem is curable or not. The answer is positive! This is what the veterinarian explains: "Yes, tick disease is curable. The sooner the animal is diagnosed, the greater the chances of curing tick disease. The recommended thing is to act quickly and take the animal to the veterinarian right after the diagnosis.appearance of the first symptoms."

Tick disease: photos

How is the treatment for tick-borne disease?

Tick-borne disease is curable, and treatment will vary according to the type of microorganism causing it, the stage of the disease and the laboratory changes found. "For this reason, it is extremely important that the animal is taken to the veterinarian as soon as the first manifestations appear. In general, treatment is based on the use of specific antibiotics and control of ectoparasitesto avoid re-infection," says Paula.

Tick-borne disease: how to treat and what to do in homes with many animals?

Tick disease is a big problem for dogs that live with other dogs and pets. After all, the dog tick lodges in the environment and can parasitize the body of other pets quickly. "If an animal is infested with ticks, the chance of contactants and the environment also being infested is high. Therefore, control must be done on all animals in the house and in the home.in the places they stay."

In the case of a dog diagnosed with tick disease, redouble your attention to your pets to prevent a little problem from becoming a big problem and learn how to get rid of ticks in the house. "If one animal has the disease, controlling ectoparasites is the best way to prevent the other from becoming infected as well. Just as the dog becomes infected with the tick bite, if the dog is infected with the tick bite, it will become infected.If the tick is not contaminated and bites an animal that is, it can contract the causative microorganisms and increase the spread of the disease," she warns.

Tick-borne disease: home treatment to end parasite infestation at home

Disease, tick, dog: these three little words make any pet parent shudder. That's because sometimes, even with the use of tick medicine, the dog is infected. Therefore, in addition to investing in preventive measures, it is essential to take care of the environment in which the pet lives. As parasites can stay installed for months in your home without you noticing, a deep cleaning of the space is necessaryto avoid incidents such as tick-borne disease. Here are three recipes to get rid of ticks in the yard and other spaces.

1) Tick remedy with vinegar and bicarbonate

Ingredients:

• 500 ml apple cider vinegar
• 250 ml warm water
• 1 tablespoon of baking soda

Directions:

Let it infuse for at least 30 minutes and then spray it in the room of the house you want to disinfect when cleaning. In addition to the yard, the solution can also be applied to furniture, carpets, curtains and wall corners (places where ticks usually hide).

2) Tick remedy with lemon

Ingredients:

• 2 lemons
• 500 ml warm water

Directions:

Heat the water in a saucepan and, when it boils, add two lemons cut in half. Leave the mixture on low heat for approximately one hour. Then remove the lemons and pour the solution into a spray bottle. This is an excellent poison to kill dog ticks in the environment and in backyards.

3) Tick remedy with oils

Ingredients:

• castor oil
• sesame oil
• lemon oil
• cinnamon oil
• 1 liter of water

Directions:

This is a very simple and quick way to get rid of dog ticks! Just dilute one drop of each of the oils in a liter of purified water. Mix well and finally apply to the desired environment with the aid of a floor cloth.

Does tick disease medicine prevent infestation? Is there a vaccine?

There is no vaccine for dogs against hemoparasites. "Measures to control the proliferation of these ectoparasites are the best way to prevent dogs from contracting tick-borne disease. To this end, prophylactic measures should be taken both to prevent tick infestations directly on dogs and in the home environment. Tick eggs can lodge everywhereIn order to avoid tick disease, dogs should live in a clean environment and their utensils should always be sanitized."

The use of tick products is one of the best strategies to keep the dog away from parasites. "The infestations of these ectoparasites directly in the animals must be prevented through the use of specific medicines already on the market. For this it is very important to talk to your veterinarian and establish which is the best choice of medicine for your dog and so that itinform the correct frequency of use, which may vary from intervals between 30 to 90 days, depending on the medication being administered ", concludes the specialist.

Therefore, in addition to cleaning the environment in which your pet lives, a tip that helps prevent tick disease in dogs is to bet on remedies and accessories that keep parasites away, such as:

• Flea and tick collar;
• Spray;
• Pipettes;
• Talc;
• Oral medicines.

5 questions and answers about tick-borne disease

1) What is the first symptom of tick disease in dogs?

In tick-borne disease, early symptoms usually include anemia, yellowish and pale mucous membranes (jaundice), listlessness and lack of appetite (which can lead to anorexia in dogs). It is necessary to observe carefully and seek the support of a veterinarian.

2) How does the dog look with tick disease?

Tick-borne disease causes weakness in the dog's body: dogs feel less willing, stop eating properly, may have a fever, nosebleeds and reddish patches on the body.

3) What is the chance of being cured of tick-borne disease?

The sooner tick disease in dogs is diagnosed and treated, the better the prognosis. Therefore, the main tip is to consult a specialist in case of suspicion of the disease.

4) What to give the dog to eat when it has tick disease?

Dogs don't want to eat when they're sick, which can be challenging for owners. In addition to having fresh water available, it's important to go for a quality super premium dog food (this goes for both dry and wet food). Coconut water and light snacks - such as dog fruit - are also options.

5) Can you bathe the dog with tick disease?

This will depend on the severity of the tick disease in the dog. If the dog is very weak and with very low immunity, it is best to avoid traditional baths and opt for hygiene with the aid of wet wipes.