The deer tick is one of the two most common ticks in Central Massachusetts. This tick is not only a spreader of Lyme disease, but also anaplasmosis.
We love to get out of doors with man’s best friend this time of year in Central Mass. Hiking, neighborhood walks, and playing in our backyards with our pets brings much joy, but it can also be dangerous if our best friends are not properly protected from ticks. One of the more common tick-borne diseases for dogs in Central Mass is anaplasmosis. What is anaplasmosis? How is it treated?
Anaplasmosis in Dogs: Signs of Infection
If your pet has experienced an anaplasmosis-infected tick bite from a deer tick, he might begin to show symptoms within one week. Though, some dogs never show symptoms at all. Common symptoms are loss of appetite, lethargy, and joint pain – very similar symptoms to Lyme disease. Less common signs of anaplasmosis might be nausea and labored breathing. There are a few clinical tests available, which can diagnose the disease, and your veterinarian will recommend the testing method that is best for your pet if anaplasmosis is suspected.
Cats can contract anaplasmosis, too. Though, it is less common in cats than dogs. If your cat is infected, it will show similar symptoms to the ones mentioned above.
Your Dog Can Have Anaplasmosis and Lyme Disease at the Same Time
It is not uncommon for dogs to become infected with Lyme disease and anaplasmosis at once, because both diseases are spread by infected deer ticks. If diagnostics show co-infection, your dog will be treated more aggressively than with single-infection. The good news is, treatment is very successful, requiring only doxycycline. The length of treatment will depend on whether your dog is suffering from only anaplasmosis, or both diseases. Typical treatment is two to four weeks, and symptoms can become greatly reduced in less than two days. It is essential that you continue to administer doxycycline for the full recommended course, even when symptoms have diminished.
Prevention is Essential for Your Pet: Choose Professional Tick Control Methods
The best methods of tick-borne disease prevention for your pets are tick control barrier sprays for your yard, daily tick checks, and oral flea and tick preventatives. Though anaplasmosis is often easily treated, an ounce of prevention offers much better assurance for the health and well-being of our pets. Effective Central Mass tick control is achieved through regular barrier treatments of your yard, every couple of weeks, in the spring, summer, and fall. Tick tubes “out of season” will help greatly reduce the tick population around your home when springtime comes back around.
Also read: Can ticks cause anemia in dogs?
