Perhaps you already know that ticks carry Lyme Disease, a dangerous tick-borne illness that affects humans and pets alike. But Lyme isn’t the only disease ticks can infect your furry best friend with.
Other tick-borne diseases that can affect your dog or cat include Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Anaplasmosis, Ehrlichiosis, Tularemia, Babesiosis, and Cytauxzoonosis.
Not all of these diseases are a danger to both cats and dogs. Lyme Disease is pretty much restricted to dogs and only cats can be infected by Cytauxzoonosis. But all have the potential to cause major physical or neurological issues for your pet if left untreated.
Unfortunately, tick-borne diseases in dogs (and to a lesser extent, cats) are fairly common in the United States.
According to the Companion Animal Parasite Council, in 2020, one in 20 dogs tested came up positive for Lyme Disease. Also in 2020, one in 30 dogs tested for Anaplasmosis and Ehrlichiosis tested positive for the diseases. Both can be life-threatening if left untreated for too long.
Keeping your pets safe means knowing the signs to look for.
Here’s the list of tick-borne diseases in dogs and cats along with the symptoms you should watch out for.
Lyme Disease
Cats are much less likely to develop Lyme Disease. In fact, our research turned up only one instance of a cat diagnosed with Lyme Disease in a natural setting (ie outside of a laboratory).
Dogs are another story. In any given year, 5% of dogs are likely to be infected with Lyme, which can cause joint problems, neurological issues, kidney weakness and failure, and death.
Lyme-carrying ticks can be found throughout the United States but are more prevalent in the Northeast, Upper Midwest, and along the Pacific Coast.
Symptoms of Lyme Disease in Dogs
Not all dogs will show symptoms of Lyme Disease but when they do, these are the most common:
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
- Fatigue, sluggishness or overall reduced energy
- Swelling of joints, stiffness and/or lameness
- Swollen lymph nodes
Diagnosing Lyme Disease in Dogs
If you notice any of these symptoms in your dog, especially at the same time as any others, call your vet to request a Lyme Disease test. There are two – the C6 and Quant C6 – and your vet should do both.
Do not assume the symptoms will go away and try to wait it out. Many dogs won’t show symptoms for weeks to months after being bitten. By the time the symptoms become apparent, they’ve already been suffering from the ill-effects for some time, don’t make them wait any longer. Lyme Disease is deadly if left untreated for too long.
Treatment of Lyme Disease in Dogs
Your vet will give your dog antibiotics for at least 30 days. Symptoms may go away during this time. Do not stop giving your dog the medicine. Lyme Disease infections almost always outlast the symptoms. Your vet will need to do another test to determine if your dog is cured.
In some cases, your dog may need to take another round of antibiotics, even if the symptoms are gone.
In cases where symptoms persist, your vet may also advise other medicines or even physical therapy to help relieve specific problems.
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Anaplasmosis
Dogs and cats are at equal risk from anaplasmosis, and there is some evidence that the number of cases of the disease among both dogs and cats is growing.
Symptoms of Anaplasmosis in Dogs and Cats
- Joint pain
- Fever
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Nervous system disorders
Diagnosing Anaplasmosis in Dogs and Cats
Most dogs and cats will begin to show symptoms of anaplasmosis within two weeks of being infected. As with other tick-borne diseases, your vet will need to perform a series of blood and urine tests.
Treatment of Anaplasmosis in Dogs and Cats
If the vet determines your dog or cat has anaplasmosis, you’ll need to give him or her a round of antibiotics, sometimes for as long as a month.
Babesiosis
Both dogs and cats can get Babesiosis, but it’s only considered a serious threat to racing greyhounds and pit bull terriers. In the United States, you’ll mostly find occurrences of Babesiosis in the southern states.
Symptoms of Babesiosis in Dogs and Cats
- Dark urine
- Fever
- Weakness
- Depression
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Sudden collapse (in severe cases)
Diagnosing Babesiosis in Dogs and Cats
Your vet will need to do blood tests. Signs that your dog (or cat) might have Babesiosis will include anemia, low blood platelets, low blood protein. If your dog has dark urine, the vet may also do a urine test to look for something called bilirubinuria (the presence of a specific pigment that results from the breakdown of red blood cells).
If any of the above results are found during a standard blood or urine test, your vet will most likely do other tests like fluorescent antibody staining of any organisms found in the blood or a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test, which can detect all four species of the Babesia bacteria.
Treatment of Babesiosis in Dogs and Cats
The main treatment for Babesiosis is an antiprotozoal called Imizol, but some vets choose to use an antibiotic instead.
Cytauxzoonosis
Cytauxzoonosis is the only feline-specific tick-borne disease. First discovered in the mid-1970s it is growing in number and is most often seen in the Central, South-Central, Southeastern, and Southern mid-Atlantic United States (as far north as Virginia).
It’s usually fatal, though there are growing reports of cats surviving the disease both with and without treatment.
Symptoms of Cytauxzoonosis in Cats
- Depression
- Lethargy
- Anorexia
- Fever
- Anemic/pale gums
- Difficulty breathing
- Dehydration
- Jaundice
- Enlarged lymph nodes
- Simultaneous enlarged liver and spleen
Diagnosing Cytauxzoonosis in Cats
Symptoms of Cytauxzoonosis usually show up about 10 days after being bit. A specialized PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test can be done to test for the bacteria that causes Cytauxzoonosis.
Unfortunately, diagnosis is often done after death, as most cats die within two to three days if their fever reaches 106-degrees Fahrenheit.
Treatment of Cytauxzoonosis in Cats
When it was first discovered, Cytauxzoonosis had a nearly 0% survival rate. Today, with early detection and new medicines, the survival rate is about 60%. According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, the treatment with the most success has been a combination of two drugs (atovaquone and azithromycin), along with supportive hospital care.
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Ehrlichiosis
Another tick-borne disease that affects dogs more than cats is ehrlichiosis. The ticks that carry this disease can be found in every state of the United States.
Symptoms of Ehrlichiosis in Dogs and Cats
- Reduced appetite (anorexia in cats)
- Depression
- Fever
- Stiff and/or painful joints
- Bruising
Diagnosing Ehrlichiosis in Dogs and Cats
Most dogs and cats will begin to show symptoms of Ehrlichiosisless than a month after being infected. As with other tick-borne diseases, your vet will need to perform a series of blood and urine tests, including a specific blood test that looks for antibodies of the Ehrlichia bacteria.
Treatment of Ehrlichiosis in Dogs and Cats
A course of antibiotics for about four weeks is the most effective treatment for ehrlichiosis.
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Both dogs and cats can be infected with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (also called tick fever), but it’s more common in dogs.
Several species of ticks are known to carry the disease. Despite its name, it can be found throughout the United States, but is most prevalent in the Eastern, Midwest, and Pacific Northwest states.
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever can be fatal if left unchecked. (About 10% of dogs who get the disease will die.) Late treatment can lead to permanent heart, liver, kidney and nervous system damage that may require ongoing supportive treatment.
Symptoms of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Dogs and Cats
Several symptoms can be caused as a result of a Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever infection including:
- Loss of appetite
- Fever
- Coughing
- Abdominal pain and/or vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Face or leg swelling
- Joint pain or lameness
- Seizures or stumbling when walking (in severe cases)
- Eye, gum, or nose bleeding (in severe cases)
Most dogs start showing symptoms two after being bitten. The milder the case, the longer it may take for your dog to show any symptoms.
Diagnosing Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Dogs and Cats
If you notice any of the above symptoms, you’ll want to bring your pet in to the vet for a checkup. Many illnesses can cause the above symptoms and your pet may only display one of these when infected with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
Always tell the vet if you found a tick on your pet, as this can speed up the diagnosis process. Most vets will perform a series of basic blood tests before opting for the more expensive Indirect Immunoflourescent Assay (IFA) test, which requires multiple blood samples and can usually only be done in an outside laboratory.
Treatment of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Dogs and Cats
As with Lyme Disease, a course of antibiotics is needed to treat Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. But the course of treatment is typically shorter, usually from seven to 21 days.
Tularemia
Also known as rabbit fever, this tick-borne disease is more of a problem for cats than dogs, as it tends to be fatal to cats. (Fyi, it can also be carried by fleas.)
It’s also more likely to develop in younger animals than in adults.
Symptoms of Tularemia in Dogs
Tularemia is rare among dogs. They are less susceptible to the illness, and, when they do get infected, their symptoms are almost always mild and short-lived.
- Reduced appetite
- Depression
- Mild fever
Symptoms of Tularemia in Cats
Tularemia is more common in cats than dogs, though still relatively rare. It is, however, usually fatal to so early detection is critical.
- High fever
- Swollen lymph nodes in the head and neck
- Jaundice
- Abscess at the site of the bite
- Abdominal Pain
- Open sores in mouth or throat (in severe cases)
Diagnosing Tularemia in Cats and Dogs
Your vet will need to take blood from your pet to look for antibodies to the bacteria that causes the disease. Your vet may also do an ultrasound to look for masses in your cat or dog’s liver or spleen.
Treatment of Tularemia in Cats and Dogs
Tularemia can be treated with antibiotics and most cats will also need to be hospitalized. Early detection and treatment are key factors in the survival rate for cats.
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