anaplasma symptoms in dogs
The Anaplasma phagocytophilum or Anaplasma platys bacteria are picked up by the tick when they bite an infected rodent or small mammal. These bacteria are then transmitted when the infected tick bites your dog. It is unknown how long a tick must be attached in order to transmit this disease. The A. phagocytophilum and A. platys bacteria live in the blood stream and predominantly attack a specific category of white blood cells known as granulocytes. Canine anaplasmosis comes in two forms. Anaplasma phagocytophilum is an infection of the white blood cells that’s transmitted by the deer tick (also known as the black-legged tick) and the western black-legged tick. These are the same ticks that transmit Lyme disease, which increases the risk of coinfection with anaplasmamosis. The other form, Anaplasma platys, is an infection of the blood platelets that can lead to bleeding disorders and is transmitted by the brown dog tick. Although these two forms of anaplasmosis present with different signs, both pose a threat to your dog’s health. Similar to other vector-borne diseases, symptoms of Anaplasma phagocytophilum are often vague and nonspecific. Common signs can include any of the following: 1  Loss of appetite. 2  Lethargy. Anaplasmosis in dogs is caused by the bacteria Anaplasma phagocytophilum. It used to be known as Ehrlichia equi and Ehrlichia phagocytophilia. The more complete name for the disease is canine granulocytic anaplasmosis.. It commonly affects the platelets in the blood, which are small cellular components found in the blood which help clots to form. Anaplasmosis causes thrombocytopenia, which is a lower than normal number of platelets in the blood. In the body, microscopically small vessels often break in the normal course of events. Please note that the majority of dogs infected with Anaplasmosis do not show symptoms. These dogs experience a “silent infection”. Some dogs will always remain asymptomatic, and others will exhibit symptoms at a seemingly random point later in their lives. Because of the possible bleeding complications associated with Anaplasmosis, treatment is recommended even for silent infections. Both forms of canine anaplasmosis are found throughout the United States and Canada, wherever there are deer, western black-legged and brown dog ticks. Areas where canine anaplasmosis are more common include the northeastern, mid-Atlantic and north-central states, as well as California. Three of the most common signs of anaplasmosis are lethargy, loss of appetite, and fever. These are common signs of many diseases. Other signs that may be seen include pale mucous membranes (e.g., pale gums), vomiting, diarrhea, lameness, nosebleeds, and dark stools (due to the presence of digested blood). Often these symptoms are noticed in spring and fall, when ticks are most abundant. They can cause acute or chronic illness and major destruction in the body. Platelet and white blood cell destruction can lead to serious bleeding problems. Chronic joint pain, kidney disease, and neurological signs can also occur. Anaplasmosis can be a FATAL disease.
1 Loss of appetite. 2 Lethargy.