My pet had an engorged tick. What can happen now?

Ticks are, sadly, prevalent all over the world. They carry multiple diseases, though the type of disease that can be transmitted follows a geographical pattern. The further south, the more diseases ticks can carry. It is essential to remember that ticks must be attached for at least 24 hours to transmit any disease.

If you find an engorged tick on your pet, you can either submit the tick for testing for diseases or test your pet. Some diseases, such as Lyme, may not be detected for a week to about a month after a tick bite. If you test your pet right after a tick bite, you should follow it with another test a month later.

What diseases can ticks carry in Nova Scotia?

The most prevalent ones are Lyme, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia.

What happens if my dog tests positive for Lyme?

The test veterinarians use to detect Lyme disease is an antibody test. Positive test results mean your pet was exposed to Lyme disease or vaccinated against it. The Quant C6 test can be performed to determine if the exposure was natural or if the vaccine caused a positive antibody test. Despite popular belief, this test does NOT prove that Lyme is responsible for any clinical symptoms. Less than 5% of dogs and even fewer cats will ever develop any symptoms. If symptoms occur, they are typically associated with joint pain and swelling. Lyme nephritis is an end-stage renal disease that is usually fatal. Luckily, it is extremely rare, and even dogs positive for Lyme and with elevated renal values typically have renal disease due to causes other than Lyme.

We have no alternative to a renal biopsy to determine if the patient is infected with Lyme disease; therefore, treatment for all other causes of elevated kidney values is prudent.

What will happen if my pet is positive for Anaplasma or Ehrlichia?

In most cases, Anaplasma doesn't cause any symptoms, in contrast to Ehrlichia. Anaplasma can cause low neutrophil count or low platelet count. In some cases, the patient will be symptomatic with fever, bleeding tendencies, and lethargy. If the patient is symptomatic, treatment with the antibiotic DOxycycline is very effective.

Contrary to Lyme disease, we can confirm the initial antibody test with a PCR test that detects the organism itself in a blood sample. After treatment, some patients may have a positive antibody test lifelong, but they no longer require treatment if the PCR test is negative.

Travelling pets

If your pet travels with you south of the border, or has come from southern regions of North America or Europe, an extended panel to screen for disease should be performed. This will include diseases like Babesia, Leishmania, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

In some cases, like Leishmania, the organism can be inactive for up to 7 years, and thus the timing of the travel should not influence the decision to test or not.

Prognosis

In most of the diseases, treatment is available and very effective, but diagnosis is crucial for success.

Prevention

Preventing tick-borne diseases is best achieved with the current medications available. No prevention is 100% effective, but it significantly decreases the likelihood. It is essential to remember that ticks are active at temperatures ranging from 0 °C to 5°C, and therefore, prevention measures should be implemented throughout the year.