How to Treat Tick Fever in Dogs
Tick fever is a broad, generic term that identifies a group of diseases. This group includes Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, babesiosis and ehrlichiosis. This last disease, ehrlichiosis, is the most common of this deadly group and is as deceptive as it is lethal. Vets find it extremely difficult to diagnose either babesiosis or ehrlichiosis because their symptoms mimic those of several other diseases. However, the fact is that if the steroids and drugs used to cure certain other diseases are administered to affected dogs, it can be fatal to their health. Use this guide to help you find out the right treatment process for tick fever.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
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Take your dog to the veterinarian immediately to receive antibiotic treatment for tick fever before any other drug is tried.
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Request that your veterinarian run an indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) blood test on your dog to verify if the test results are positive, a sign of tick fever. If the tests return negative, but your dog is responding favorably to the ehrlichiosis treatment, the treatment must not be stopped. In such cases, another test must be done in a couple of weeks.
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3
If your dog tests positive, request doxycycline, a part of the tetracycline family of antibiotics. Doxycycline is the only proven cure for tick fever. You must consult your vet for the right dosage. Dosage can vary based on body weight and the intensity of the case.
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Administer the doxycycline treatment for a six-week period. During this time, your dog will also need vitamin B and vitamin K supplementation. If you wrap the doxycycline tablet in a piece of bread or feed it to your dog with rice, this may help prevent nausea in your dog.
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Immediately after a dose of doxycycline, keep your dog active for a while. This will prevent the tablet from being in one part of your pet's stomach and irritating its stomach lining.
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