North Island Veterinary Hospital is warning pet owners about a case of a tick-borne illness found in a dog in the North Island area.
The dog was found to have a case of Anaplasmosis, which can cause fever, decreased appetite, lethargy and dehydration. Dogs are the most susceptible of the pets, but cats can get the disease as well. It is also possible for humans to get Anaplasmosis.
"This dog had no recent travel history, so it is most likely that the infection came from our area," the hospital said in a Facebook post. "This dog nearly didn't survive his illness, but we are so thrilled that he is now recovering well."
Anaplasmosis is diagnosed by a blood test, and it is treated with antibiotics. The prognosis with treatment is good, but infections can be hard to clear, so multiple rounds of treatment may be needed.
The hospital had trouble diagnosing the dog, since the disease has not been commonly seen in B.C., and the dog had not had a history of travelling outside of the province. However a blood test did point to Anaplasmosis.
"The good news is that this disease can be prevented! By keeping your pet up to date on flea/tick prevention, any ticks that might bite your pet will die before they have time to pass on any diseases (it takes 24-48 hours for disease transmission to occur)," the post on social media says. "Please feel free to come pick up flea/tick prevention at any time for your pets!"
