Can a dog die from a tick if a parasite-infected pet is not treated in a timely manner
Dogs are just as susceptible to tick attacks as humans. A meeting with a parasite can be deadly for a pet: insects carry serious infectious diseases. Often the symptoms of infection do not appear immediately or go unnoticed. In this regard, the owners have a question about how long a dog lives after being bitten by an infected tick.
Content
- Where the ticks are waiting for the dog
- The process of a tick attack on a dog
- What to do if a dog is bitten by a tick
- How to understand that the dog is sick
- Diseases caused by tick bites in dogs
- How to protect your pet from ticks
- pet care
Where the ticks are waiting for the dog
Most often, bloodsuckers attack pets at the beginning of the warm season. Insects immediately after hibernation are not able to travel long distances and climb tall trees. Therefore, they prefer to hide in tall grass, where dogs like to play. For this reason, the first victims at the beginning of the season are often animals, not humans.
Most often, ticks are waiting for quadrupeds in parks and squares, in summer cottages, in landscaped courtyards, in the forest.
The process of a tick attack on a dog
Bloodsuckers search for prey with the help of special thermoreceptors, so any warm-blooded animal that is nearby can be attacked. The tick climbs onto the coat, after which it makes its way to the skin. More often, parasites bite in the abdomen, neck, chest, hind legs.
A dog cannot die from a tick bite; the infection carried by these insects is a danger to its health. If an infected dog is not injected with special drugs for several days, it may die.
What to do if a dog is bitten by a tick
After a walk, you should always inspect the pet. Even if the parasite has got on the skin, there is a chance to have time to remove it before the bite. If the tick just crawls through the coat, it is enough to remove it. After that, you need to treat your hands with disinfectants.
First aid for a dog after a tick bite
If an ectoparasite is found on the body of a pet, it is recommended to contact a veterinary clinic as soon as possible. If this is not possible, you can provide first aid at home:
- drink to the dog 100-150 ml. water per hour;
- with loose stools, put an enema;
- inject under the skin a glucose solution of 20 milliliters and vitamins B6 and B12 one ampoule daily.
How to remove a tick from a dog at home
How to understand that the dog is sick
You can determine that a pet is infected with an infection by its behavior. Early signs of infectious diseases include the following:
- Increase in body temperature. The normal body temperature of a dog is 37,5-39 degrees. When an infection enters the body, it can rise to 41-42 degrees. After a few days, the temperature can drop to 35-36 degrees, which often misleads the owners, who think that the pet is on the mend.
- The animal begins to squat on its hind legs. It looks like they don't keep it.
- The dog loses interest in what is happening around, tries to stay in one place.
- Gastrointestinal disorders: refusal to eat, vomiting, diarrhea, possibly with blood impurities.
Diseases caused by tick bites in dogs
There are several diseases that can develop in an animal after a tick bite.
| erlichiosis | It manifests itself as a severe fever, if left untreated, can be fatal. |
| Borreliosis | One of the most dangerous diseases, the symptoms of which are lameness, fever, lack of appetite. |
| Bartonelez | An insidious disease that can be asymptomatic, or can cause sudden death of the animal. Most often manifested in the form of fever, weight loss, inflammation of the joints. |
| Hepatozoonosis | The disease can develop if the dog has swallowed a tick. As long as the immune system copes with its functions, the disease does not manifest itself. Further discharge from the eyes, fever, pain in the body. |
dog infested with ixodid tick
Iscod ticks are carriers of deadly infections. On dogs, most often 3 genera of such arthropods:
- genus of fanheads;
- genus ixod;
- kind of leather cutter.
Evidence
You can suspect infection from an ixodid tick by the following signs:
- temperature increase;
- lack of coordination;
- refusal to eat;
- lethargy, apathy.
Therapy
If you experience any warning signs, contact your veterinarian immediately. Using the PCR method, he will make a diagnosis and select the appropriate therapy. Self-medication in this case is unacceptable. Therapy may be different; antibacterial drugs, intravenous infusions, injections.
Piroplasmosis in dogs
Piroplasmosis is a common disease, the source of infection of which are ixodid ticks. The disease is caused by babesias - microorganisms that enter the bloodstream and destroy red blood cells, causing oxygen deficiency.
Signs of piroplasmosis in dogs after a tick bite
Piroplasmosis has pronounced symptoms. The first symptom is a change in the color of urine - it takes on the shade of beer. The dog refuses to eat, there is increased fatigue, body temperature can rise to 40-41 degrees.
Other signs of the disease:
- mucous membranes and sclera of the eyes acquire a yellowish tint;
- vomiting with blood;
- rapid pulse and breathing;
- stool becomes greenish.
If piroplasmosis is left untreated, kidney failure will occur and, most likely, the outcome will be fatal.
How to treat different stages of piroplasmosis in dogs
It is customary to distinguish 2 forms of the disease:
- acute: the infection rapidly affects the internal organs, often ends in the death of the animal;
- chronic: occurs in animals that have already recovered from piroplasmosis or have strong immunity, the prognosis is favorable.
For the treatment of an acute form of the disease, it is advisable to place a pet in a hospital. Therapy includes:
- antibacterial drugs;
- anti-inflammatory drugs - to relieve swelling, eliminate abnormal reactions of the immune system;
- antiprotozoal drugs;
- hepatoprotectors - to preserve the functions of the liver;
- in severe cases, a blood transfusion is required.
Ehrlichiosis in dogs: diagnosis and treatment of the disease after a tick bite
Ehrlichiosis affects several systems at the same time. Bacteria enter the body of the dog with the saliva of the tick and spread with the flow of lymph and blood.
It is customary to distinguish 3 stages of the disease
| Acute stage | The body temperature rises to 41 degrees, inflammation of the vascular walls occurs, there is a decrease in appetite, lethargy, convulsions and paralysis may occur. |
| hidden stage | Symptoms are smoothed, mucous membranes are pale, anemia occurs. |
| Chronic stage | Persistent anemia, disruption of the bone marrow. |
Often dogs are not completely cured of ehrlichiosis, and the risk of recurrence remains for a long time. The diagnosis is made on the basis of a complete blood count and smear microscopy, treatment includes antibacterial and symptomatic therapy.
Hepatozoonosis in dogs: signs of the disease and therapy
The disease occurs after eating a tick. Hepatochoonosis is caused by a single-celled parasite that invades white blood cells.
The main signs of the disease:
- discharge from the eyes;
- lack of coordination, muscle weakness;
- fever;
- general depletion of the body.
It is impossible to completely recover from hepatozoonosis, relapses are often observed. Also, no specific treatment has been developed. Antibacterial drugs and symptomatic agents are used to fight the infection.
How to protect your pet from ticks
Ixodid ticks are most active in spring and autumn. During this period, dogs require special protection. Preventive measures include:
- regular use of sprays, collars, drops from ticks;
- examination of the pet's body after each walk: special attention should be paid to the muzzle, ears, stomach and groin area;
- after going outside, it is recommended to comb the dog's coat: this way you can detect parasites that have not yet stuck.
pet care
To protect the dog from ticks, it is recommended to use all means, however, it should be understood that none of them protects it from parasites one hundred percent, so the risk of infection remains.
Veterinarians note that they are less susceptible to infections, and healthy dogs with strong immunity also tolerate them relatively easily.
Therefore, it is important to pay enough attention to the health of the pet throughout the year: use only high-quality, balanced feed and regularly undergo examinations at the veterinarian.
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