Small Animal Tick-borne diseases

Question 1

Ehrlichiosis

Et? Main CS? Dx? Main Tx? Vector?

Answer 1

• usually Ehrlichia canis
• main CS = lameness
• main tx = doxycyline
• Dx = ELISA or blood smear
• vector = Rhipicephalus sanguineus = brown dog tick

Question 2

Anaplasmosis

main CS? Dx? Tx? et? vector?

Answer 2

• Anaplasma phagocytophilum
• CS = anorexia, lameness, oculonasal dishcharge, ataxia
• Dx = ELISA, blood smear - see organism within neutrophils
• vector = Ixodes or Amblyomma amricanum (lone star tick)

Question 3

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

CS? Dx? Tx? Et? vector?

Answer 3

• vague multisystemic signs
• dx/tx = response to doxycyline
• Et = Rickettsia rickettsia
• vectors = Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick) or Dermacentor andersonii (wood tick)

ZOONOTIC

Question 4

Lyme disease

CS? Dx? Tx? Et? Vector?

Answer 4

• CS = lameness, fever, lymphadenopathy
• Dx = ELISA
• Tx = Doxycyline
• Et = Borrelia burgdorfei
• Vector = Ixodes dammini (deer tick)

ZOONOTIC

Question 5

Babesiosis

CS? Dx? Tx? Et? Vector?

Answer 5

• CS = fever, icterus
• Dx = Blood smear - intracellular
• Tx = Tetracycline
• Et = Babesia gibsoni (smaller, signet ring, top pic) or Babesia canis (larger, figure-8, bottom pic)
• Vector = Rhipicephalus sanguineus (brown dog tick)

Question 6

tick paralysis

CS? Dx? Tx? Et/vector?

Answer 6

• CS = ascending flaccid paralysis
• Dx = response to tx
• Tx = remove tick, supportive care
• Et/vector = neurotoxin from Dermacentor andersonii or variabilis

Question 7

Hepatozoonosis

CS? Dx? Tx? Et/vector? Path?

Answer 7

• CS = hyperesthesia
• Dx = muscle biopsy or blood smear - lives in neutrophils or monocytes
• Tx = none effective :(
• Et/vector - Hepatozoon canis carried by Rhipicephalus sanguineous or Hepatozoon americanum carried by Amblyomma maculatum
• path = ingestion of tick –> encysts –> pyogranulomatous reaction