Heartworm Disease, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme Disease: The Health Dangers They Pose to Dogs

Heartworm Disease, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme Disease are three dangerous diseases which infect dogs throughout the United States and pose health dangers to dogs. Although there are no vaccines available to prevent Heartworms or Ehrlichiosis, you can help your best friend to live a long and healthy life by having your dog tested yearly.

Heartworm Disease

Although heartworms can occur in cats too, it is most commonly seen in dogs. Symptoms of heartworms in dogs are a dry, hacking cough, loss of appetite, weight loss, swollen abdomen (pot belly). Heartworm disease is caused by mosquitoes. A mosquito which is already carrying heartworm larvae, which are baby heartworms, bites a healthy dog and injects the larvae just under the skin where they mature and migrate through dog's tissues and the larvae stays in the bloodstream. The baby heartworms, or larvae, live in the bloodstream for around four months then they migrate their way up into the dog's heart, and once they are there the adult heartworms take over the heart and pulmonary and they will eventually suffocate the heart which could cause difficulty breathing, heart failure, ling disease and will eventually lead to sudden death if left untreated.

When heart disease occurs in the dog, most commonly the valves of the heart become affected by the disease. The valve of the heart becomes rounded in shape and cannot close properly which causes the back flow of blood and this will cause the chamber of the heart which is receiving the back flow of blood to become overflowed with blood. Over a period of time, all of this excessive overflow of blood in the chamber of the heart becomes stretched out and grows larger. The heart chamber that is enlarged now can begin to place pressure on to the trachea and the windpipe which will result in the dog having a dry, hacking cough.

Possible Signs of Heartworm Disease are:

Dry, mild persistent cough

Weight Loss

Loss of Normal Appetite

Excessive Tiredness after Normal Exercise

Not Wanting to Move Around

Not Wanting to Exercise

Swollen Abdomen

A simple blood test can detect heartworms in dogs and can be prevented by using a once a month oral heartworm pill dispensed by your pet's veterinarian.

Ehrlichiosis

This disease is transmitted to dogs during the Fall by an adult tick which bites the dog. Then the adult tick lays the eggs and the eggs hatch into larva. This larva then feeds off of small mammals such as mice during the summertime. As Spring approaches, the larva leave and then turns into a nymph and at this stage, the nymph feeds on dogs and the infection transfers to the dog which is the host. Then the nymph will leave the dog and change into an adult tick and the process begins all over again.

Possible Signs of Ehrlichisois are:

Pale Gums

Loss of Appetite

Depression

Joint Pain

Bloody Nose

Fever

If left untreated, Ehrlichiosis disease can cause autoimmune diseases, blindness, severe complications from bleeding and death. Although there is no vaccine available to prevent Ehrlichiosis in dogs, if caught early enough the symptoms can be treated with antibiotics such as Tetracycline with a full recovery expected.

Lyme Disease

This disease is transmitted to dogs during the Fall by an adult tick which bites the dog. Then the adult tick lays the eggs and the eggs hatch into larva. This larva then feeds off of small mammals such as mice during the summertime. As Spring approaches, the larva leave and then turns into a nymph and at this stage, the nymph feeds on dogs and the infection transfers to the dog which is the host. Then the nymph will leave the dog and change into an adult tick and the process begins all over again.

Possible Signs of Lyme Disease Are:

Unusual Behavior

Swollen Joints

Fever

Kidney Failure

Lameness

Excessive Weight Loss

If left untreated, Lyme Disease can damage joints and in some cases cause fatal kidney disease, but if caught early enough the symptoms can be treated with antibiotics such as Tetracycline with a full recovery expected.

There is a vaccine available to prevent Lyme Disease in dogs.

There are many ways to help prevent tick borne diseases in your dog by just doing a simple inspection of your dog daily and properly remove any ticks that are seen on your pet. The use of topical tick products sold through a veterinarian is also a good prevention.

Keep a close watch over your pet and any sudden change in their normal behavior should be attended to at once. We can all do our part to give our pets the best care and love that they deserve.

Sources:

I worked as a veterinary technician for 10 years & learned a lot of valuable information.

DISCLAIMER:

I am not a licensed vet but I did learn many useful tips and information during my years working for one. The above information is intended for educational purposes only and shall not take the place of seeking professional medical advice from a licensed veterinarian.