Anaplasmosis--Bacteria

[shedaddict]

I recently went to the vet for a check up on my lab and the blood tests came back positive for Anaplasma. The vet said that this was an infection caused by bacteria in deer ticks and that it could be cured with a medication.

Does anybody have any experiance with this? I feel bad that I wasn't able to prevent this, but my dog is on frontline, lyme vaccine, and I check her ever 4-6 hours after I hike with her. I'm not sure what more I could have done and leaving her at home in the spring is not an option. The vet said that I shouldn't worry about this too much.

[bobbymalone]

yeah i wouldn't worry about it too much. the vet gave her an antibio right?

you can't expect frontline to prevent 100% of ticks and you can't expect to find 100% of them either. It's like seatbelts and airbags, they don't guarantee survival in a car crash. it is what it is.

also, remember you can't catch it from the dog.

[fishwidow]

One of my dogs has tested positive for ehrliciosis, anaplasmosis, and lymes. This in spite of the fact that he has had Frontline and Lyme's vaccine religiously. Doxycycline is the ususal medication, and when he has had droopy spells, it perks him up noticeably. He does have some liver damage, but its effects are not apparent. Because of these issues, I have a regular vet checkup with bloodwork every 6 months, instead of just an annual.

He is nine now and this has been routine for at lease 5 or 6 years. His quality of life seems to be OK. He's still plenty frisky when he puts his nose to the ground and heads through the brush.

No need to feel guilty. Just make sure he gets any regular care.

[shedaddict]

Thanks for the feedback guys. First dog for me so still learning all these things. She is showing no visible signs from this at all, so I think we caught it pretty early. I will go in and do the bloodwork every 6 months like you talked about fishwidow. She starts the meds today, so hopefully she's good to go in a month.

[Riverratpete]

My springer last December tested positive for ehrliciosis, anaplasmosis, and lymes..treated and is fine now. The vet told me that the lymes shot DOES NOT prevent the Ehrliciosis or Anaplasmosis...felt bad because I had failed to get her Lymes shots last year..This year is a whole new story though..hopefully we won't have a repeat of the Lymes at least. Only thing they said you can do about the other is check them for ticks and get the best Anti-Tick stuff you can find.

[brittman]

Anti-biotics worked for one of my Britts when testing positive for anaplastmosis. The "heartworm" blood test the vet runs in the spring now tests for many other parasite based infections (lyme, anaplastmosis, etc). She still tests a slight positive a few years later.

Tick repellant topicals or sprays and a good flea/tick bath after the hunt is necessary when hunting in Eastern MN woods (deer tick country).

I have noticed deer ticks have spread all the way to Becker county in the past year or two. Never saw them in the late 90s. Pine county is deer tick central - but there they have not been as thick as say 2001 or so.

[shedaddict]

Brittman, have you had any luck with any specific sprays?

I've been doing a little bit of research, but haven't decided ony anything yet.