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Tick Infestation - 4 Complications That Dogs Can Acquire From Ticks
Ticks are blood sucking pests. They belong to the family of spiders and mites. They are not insects, but rather arachnids. Ticks are dangerous because they carry certain diseases. As formerly mentioned, they fed on their hosts by sucking on its blood. By sucking, they get to transmit diseases from one host to another. The most common symptoms of tick bites are fever, sudden loss of appetite, irritation, swelling in the area, stupor and depression. For proper prognosis and management, dog owners should report these symptoms rightaway to their vet. If tick bites are ignored, it can develop and become critical. Complications from tick bites often have general symptoms. It is consequential to know the various complications of tick bites in order to arrest the condition as soon as possible. Following are some of them: Ehrlichiosis Brown dog tick bites and lone star tick bites are the most common causes of this disease. The causative agent is rickettsia organism. It is bacteria. Some thought that this condition is viral because it produces flu like symptoms. The general symptoms of this condition range from loss of appetite to fever, joint discomfort, anemia and bruising. Other possible symptoms are eye inflammation and decrease levels of all types of blood cells. This condition is managed by antibiotic therapy like doxycycline or tetrachycline. Anaplasmosis Anasplasmosis is often mistaken as Ehrlichiosis because they have almost the same symptoms. Pets that are suffering from Anasplasmosis and Ehrlichiosis can exhibit signs of fever, headache, muscle pain, chils, queasiness and exhaustion. On the other hand, their contributory factors are different. If Ehrlichiosis is caused by rickettsia organism, Anasplasmosis on the other hand is caused by rickettsial parasite of ruminants. Same treatment with Ehrlichiosis, antibiotic therapy is the best management for Anaplasmosis. Tick Bite Paralysis This particular condition is very rare in dogs. It occurs when a toxin is released by the female wood or mountain ticks. This toxin blocks the signal between the nervous system and the muscles. When the nerve function is stopped it consequently results to paralysis. Watch out for signs of weakness, difficulty of breathing and walking. The most effective management for tick bite paralysis is removal of ticks. As soon as the tick is removed, the pet is on its way to recovery. Nonetheless, full recovery is achieved in twenty four to seventy two hours. If symptoms on the other hand become severe or if the paralysis has progressed intravenous fluid may be given or the dog may necessitate a ventilator to assist in breathing. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever This is a dangerous complication and most of the time fatal. Some countries call this disease as tick typhus and Tobia fever. The disease is carried by the bite of the Rocky Mountain wood tick or the American dog tick. Rickettsia then enters the dog in the tick saliva. The most common signs and symptoms of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever are hyperthermia, nausea and vomiting, decrease in desire for food, muscle pain and headache. Late signs of the disease are Petechial and maculopapular rash, abdominal and joint pain. Doxycycline is the medication of choice for the management of this disease. Tick bites should not be taken for granted. It can bring about complications and the symptoms are very daunting. Prevention is still most effective key to manage tick infestation. So be sure to maintain a tick free home environment! Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com Control ticks with Frontline for dogs. Discover more about Frontline products and visit the site now. |
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