Canine Symptoms of Tick Disease
Lyme disease, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever are tick-borne diseases. There are three stages of disease: acute, sub-clinical and chronic. Symptoms will differ depending on the stage and the type of disease present.
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Tick-borne Disease Stages
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The initial infection is called the acute stage. In the sub clinical stage, the dog's body adjusts to the disease and he may experience no additional symptoms. The chronic stage produces the most severe life-threatening symptoms.
Lyme Disease
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Acute symptoms of Lyme disease include joint pain and swelling, anorexia, fever and lethargy. Although rare, some dogs develop heart, kidney and nervous system problems.
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Ehrlichiosis
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Acute symptoms of Ehrlichiosis include lethargy, depression, anorexia, shortness of breath, bruises and fever. Chronic symptoms include weight loss, neurological problems, excessive bleeding, swelling of the eyes and fluid build-up in the rear legs.
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
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Acute symptoms of Rocky Mountain spotted fever include fever, anemia, depression and joint and muscle pain. Many dogs experience neurological signs such as dizziness and seizures. In the sub-clinical stage, no symptoms are present and the dog may recover quickly.
Babesiosis
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Symptoms of the acute stage of Bebesiosis include anorexia, depression, pale gums and fever. In the chronic stage, weight loss, coughing or labored breathing, anorexia, joint swelling, problems with blood clotting and seizures can occur.
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