How dangerous is anaplasmosis in dogs?
You've heard of anaplasmosis as a disease in dogs and are wondering what it is and, above all, whether your furry friend is at risk? This disease is transmitted through a tick bite and should not be underestimated. But how does anaplasmosis manifest in detail? What can be done about it? And most importantly, how can you protect your dog from it? Our Pets Deli veterinarian Rebecca provides answers to these questions and explains everything about anaplasmosis in dogs.
What is anaplasmosis and how is it transmitted?
Anaplasmosis, also known as canine granulocytic anaplasmosis, is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum. The bacteria are transmitted through tick bites. Your furry friend is particularly at risk during the typical tick season in spring, summer, and also in autumn. For the bacterium to be transmitted, the tick must be attached for 36 to 48 hours. A much rarer mode of transmission is through infected blood transfusions.
Transmission from your furry friend to yourself is not possible. While humans can also become ill with anaplasmosis, it is only if they themselves have a tick bite. You can continue to enjoy cuddle time with your four-legged companion without worry.
How dangerous is the disease?
The pathogen of anaplasmosis is widespread in Germany, and many four-legged friends become infected with it during their lives—especially if they spend a lot of time outdoors and come into contact with ticks.
But here’s the good news: Most four-legged friends show no symptoms. Only a few dogs become clinically ill from anaplasmosis, and typically the disease is well treatable. About one-fifth to one-third of all dogs have antibodies against Anaplasma phagocytophilum. This means they have been in contact with the bacterium at some point, and their bodies have produced antibodies without them becoming ill. Why one dog becomes ill and another does not is not yet scientifically clarified.
Common symptoms of anaplasmosis
But how can you recognize if your furry friend might be suffering from the disease? The most common symptoms include lethargy, fever, pinpoint mucosal bleeding (most visible on the gums), and nosebleeds.
Anaplasma primarily infects white blood cells and leads to a decrease in platelets (so-called thrombocytes), which are important for blood clotting. This causes the bleeding. They can also occur in internal organs such as the liver, kidneys, or lungs. Due to blood loss, there may be pale mucous membranes and, in the worst case, anemia. The bacterium can also trigger inflammatory reactions in various organs. This can lead to symptoms such as reluctance to move or lameness. Rarely, neurological symptoms such as coordination problems or seizures occur.
If you notice one or more of these symptoms in your beloved pet, you should promptly seek veterinary advice.
How is the disease diagnosed?
In addition to anaplasmosis, there are several other diseases that cause similar symptoms, such as babesiosis or borreliosis.
The bacteria can be identified in a blood sample under a microscope, and a pathogen detection from the blood using PCR is also possible. Your veterinarian will likely request several blood tests in the lab to rule out other possible diseases.
As mentioned earlier, only a few of the infected animals actually become ill from anaplasmosis. Therefore, a pathogen detection alone is not conclusive for diagnosis. A secure diagnosis requires a combination of clinical symptoms (especially a lack of platelets), pathogen detection, and response to therapy.
How is anaplasmosis treated?
Therapy should only be administered to pets with clinical symptoms. The treatment of choice is a multi-week therapy with an antibiotic that contains the active ingredient doxycycline. The antibiotic is mucous membrane irritating, so you should always give it to your four-legged friend after a delicious meal and never on an empty stomach.
Most dogs respond to the therapy within 1-2 days, but improvement should be seen by the latest after 6 days. Your veterinarian will decide depending on the severity of the symptoms whether, in addition to the antibiotic, hospitalization or further therapeutic measures such as blood transfusions, infusions, or other medications are necessary.
How can I protect my dog from anaplasmosis?
As you have already learned, anaplasma is transmitted by ticks only after 36-48 hours of contact time. To protect your furry friend from ticks and thus from this and many other diseases, adequate →tick prevention with the right tick products is essential.
A little tip: Our natural →cistus tabs are the ideal complement to adequate tick prevention. To hide tablets and distract your furry friend while you apply anti-tick products, our →poultry or liver pâtés are perfect.
However, like many things in medicine, anti-tick products are not 100% effective, and despite good prevention, it can happen that a tick gets onto your furry friend. If you regularly pamper your pet with cuddles and also watch for ticks, you can help prevent transmission. If you discover a tick, you should remove it as quickly as possible with a tick remover to keep the duration of blood-sucking as short as possible.
Even though anaplasmosis rarely leads to clinical symptoms and is well treatable, we still hope that your furry friend remains spared from it. We wish you and your four-legged companion all the best.
