Often dogs with tick bites may have a skin rash, swelling, congestion, and other symptoms, and skin wounds caused by tick bites can lead to secondary bacterial infections and helminth infections. Severe tick infections can lead to anemia and death. When a dog has been bitten by a tick and the wound has become red, swollen, and congested, it is recommended that the dog not be treated on its own and that it be taken to a veterinary hospital promptly for treatment.
In addition, dogs can develop symptoms such as fever and head shaking after being bitten by a tick. Symptoms of fever in dogs after a tick bite may last 24 hours or several days, and signs of fever include weakness, loss of appetite, and panting. Ticks like to attach themselves to thin areas of the dog’s skin, such as the face, ears, limbs, or between the fingers, and when a tick latches onto the inside of the dog’s ear canal, it may cause the dog to shake its head due to itching.
Dogs may also experience weakness, ataxia, fidgeting, and other symptoms after being bitten by ticks, and in severe cases, paralysis may occur. Ticks adsorb to the dog’s skin and suck blood, while saliva may secrete neurotoxins that may cause respiratory failure in dogs. You need to reduce the chances of getting ticks by taking your dog to play in grass and woods, and you need to deworm your dog on time.
Picture of a dog bitten by a tick
What about ticks in the dog’s ears?
Dogs with ticks in their ears need to consult their vet promptly, as it is challenging to remove ticks due to the complex structure of the dog’s ear canal. It is not recommended that the owner directly pull the tick with his bare hands or with tweezers, which on the one hand, can cause severe irritation to the dog’s ear canal, and on the other hand, can cause the tick’s mouthparts to remain in the dog’s ear canal, thus causing ear inflammation, abscesses, etc. You should use a cotton swab with alcohol and then wipe the tick’s body to soften it before slowly removing it.
What diseases can be caused by ticks in dogs?
- 1. Ehrlichiosis. This is the most common tick-borne disease in dogs. Caused by Rickettsia, it is characterized by anemia, low platelet count, bleeding, fever, lethargy, neurological disorders and multiple leg arthritis.
- 2. Rocky Mountain spotted fever. This is another tick-borne rickettsial disease. Rocky Mountain spotted fever is most common from April to September and is characterized by fever, neurological disease, respiratory distress, bleeding disorders, cardiac arrhythmias, anemia, and organ failure.
- 3. Lyme disease. Lyme disease is a well-known but not fully understood disease transmitted by ticks. The causative organism is the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, which is usually transmitted by deer ticks. Symptoms associated with Lyme disease include multiple leg arthritis, weight loss, loss of appetite, lethargy, and fever.
- 4. Acute fever. This is a rare disease caused by a spirochete bacterial infection. This disease usually includes intermittent and recurrent fever, loss of appetite and lethargy.
- 5. Haematobarbitis. This disease is not fully understood and may be transmitted by fleas and flat lice. Haematocystis is a parasite that attaches to red blood cells. In dogs, most infected animals show no signs of illness. Rarely, anemia may be caused by excessive breakdown of the affected red blood cells.
- 6. Babesiosis. This disease is commonly associated with racing dogs in Florida. It is primarily a tropical disease caused by a protozoan parasite that affects red blood cells. Once infected, red blood cells are destroyed, leading to problems such as anemia, jaundice, fever, bleeding, and thrombocytopenia.
- 7. Liver cluster worm disease. Protozoan parasites cause this disease. Infected dogs can exhibit problems such as fever, weight loss, muscle inflammation and pain, bloody diarrhea, and discharge from the eyes and nose.
- 8. Rabbit fever. This bacterial disease is transmitted through ticks and is usually associated with rabbits. Dogs infected with this disease will show signs of fever and abscesses and may die from a blood bacterial infection.
Can tick bites cause thrombocytopenia in dogs?
Tick bites can develop ehrlichiosis, a disease that causes thrombocytopenia in dogs.
What are the antibiotics used for dog tick bites?
Because Lyme spirochetes is a bacteria, it can be treated with antibiotics. The antibiotic of choice is Doxycycline, followed by Amoxicillin and then Azithromycin. Treatment lasts for 4 weeks. Sometimes the initial infection can recur, or the pet can become re-infected from the bite of another infected tick.
Can tick bites cause seizures in dogs?
In some cases, it is possible to cause seizures in dogs, which is something to be aware of.
Can tick bites cause diarrhea and vomiting in dogs?
Tick bites can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, and anemia in dogs.
Can tick bites cause hair loss in dogs?
Tick bites generally do not cause hair loss in dogs.
Can tick bites cause kidney failure in dogs?
Ticks can cause fever, fatigue, and headache in mild cases, and multiple organ failures such as shock, respiratory failure, and acute renal failure in severe cases, leading to death.
Can tick bites cause paralysis in dogs?
Dogs bitten by ticks can lead to paralysis, mainly because ticks can transmit viral diseases of the central nervous system, generally caused by the genus Flavivirus, and dogs are the end hosts of the virus. Dogs will present with high fever, behavioral changes, vestibular signs, optic neuritis, ataxia, tetraplegia, and multiple lesions in the brain and brainstem.
How soon after a tick bite do symptoms appear?
The onset of symptoms after a tick bite in dogs varies, with 3-5 days possible, depending on the dog’s constitution and degree of infection. Ticks may transmit blood protozoan diseases such as Babesia japonica, so after a tick bites a dog, the owner is advised to promptly give the dog an in vitro deworming to clean up the tick; the owner takes the dog to the hospital for blood-related tests, such as blood smear tests, routine blood tests, etc. If the tests are abnormal, it is recommended that treatment measures be taken promptly.
What should I do if a tick bites my dog?
If you find a dog or cat bite tick, do not go to the hospital promptly. The doctor will disinfect around the wound, anesthetize the tick on the damage, wait for the tick to be completely anesthetized, and then clip it out quickly with a twist. As the tick burrows its head into the skin, the head hook gets tighter and tighter, and it is easy to leave the lead on the skin to continue the infection. Going to the hospital to get the head is a hassle. The insect bite should not kill the insect immediately and should be blown away. Otherwise, the toxin will be more significant.
- 1. When a tick is found resting on the skin, do not tear it hard to prevent secondary skin damage from tearing the tissue or fracturing the mouth. Chloroform, ether, kerosene, turpentine, or dry smoke can be applied to the tick’s head until the tick naturally falls off the skin.
- 2. Disinfect the wound and surgically remove the mouthparts if they break into the skin.
- 3. 0.5% procaine local seal around the wound.
- 4. Antihistamines and corticosteroids may be used for systemic signs of toxicity. Tet bite fever and tick paralysis are detected, in addition to supportive therapy and prompt resuscitation.
- Alternatively, ticks on dogs can be killed with 0.1% octreotide, 0.05% fenitrothion, 1% trichlorfon, 0.5% toxaphene, 0.5% malathion, or 0. Spray, bath, or wash 05% deafened.
- 6. Eliminate hard ticks in kennels by spraying with 0.75% DDT.
Tips
Principles of ectoparasite deworming
1. Two-pronged approach, simultaneously deworming the dog or cat and its living environment.
2. Dewormers are toxic and should be used according to veterinary instructions to avoid poisoning or ineffectiveness.
2. Personal protection
Wear protective clothing and tighten pant legs, cuffs, and collar to enter the tick area. Apply mosquito repellent, ketone, exhume volatile oil to exposed areas or soak clothes with repellents. Check with each other when you leave, and don’t take ticks home with you. So finally, parents should try to keep their pets off the grass as little as possible these days, preferably with insect repellent spray before going for a walk for better insurance. People can be infested with ticks, so the dog and cat lovers should also pay high attention to their pets.
