Symptoms and Treatment of Anaplasmosis

When it comes to pet care, one of the most critical things you can do for dogs and cats is ensure they have the appropriate flea and tick prevention. There are several fatal diseases that can result from tick bites, including anaplasmosis, which is a tick-borne disease that is caused by an infectious bacterium. Anaplasmosis is transmitted through the bite of deer ticks. Unfortunately, this disease has been reported worldwide on a wide variety of animals, including cats and dogs. If you suspect your pet has been bitten by a tick, it is essential that you seek medical treatment from the veterinarian at your Animal hospital in Sullivan County immediately.

Signs of Anaplasmosis

One of the most common forms of anaplasmosis is an infection, which often causes joint pain, fever, lethargy, and lameness. In most situations, dogs will display symptoms for up to a week, but some won’t have any or only minor signs and symptoms. Some less common signs of anaplasmosis may include diarrhea, vomiting, coughing and labored breathing. Although anaplasmosis is less common in cats, should they be infected, neurological signs are often present, such as seizures. Some dogs may also display symptoms of cyclic thrombocytopenia, which results in a decrease of blood platelets, so you may notice bruising on various areas of your pet, nosebleeds or other areas of bleeding. If your pet is showing any signs or symptoms of a potential infection, they should be taken to the Animal Hospital of Sullivan County  in Ferndale immediately for a veterinary exam.

How is Anaplasmosis Treated?

The treatment is the same as the type of treatment given for Lyme disease and other types of tick-borne infections. In most situations, infected pets receive veterinary recommended treatment for a minimum of two weeks and up to four weeks. In most pets, their symptoms will rapidly improve with treatment; oftentimes within 24-48 hours after treatments from the veterinarian have been started.

When veterinarian treatment is started right away, the prognosis for recovery is excellent. It is important to keep in mind that although your pet has clinically improved, it may be difficult to determine whether they are no longer infected. So, it is critical that you keep all follow-up visits to the animal hospital to ensure your pet is no longer at risk of developing an active infection. Anaplasmosis is considered to be a zoonotic pathogen, which means there is a possibility that it can infect humans. Although direct transmission from pets to humans or animal-to-animal is unlikely, it is a possibility.

To learn more information about anaplasmosis or to have your pet examined for possible tick bites, contact the Animal Hospital of Sullivan County. You can call us at (845) 292-6711 to schedule an appointment today!