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Tick-borne Diseases
Understanding Your Pet’s Test Results
Lyme
If your pet tested positive for LYME on the heartworm/tick-borne disease test.
What is Lyme?
Lyme disease is a tick-borne disease caused by infection with the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. Most infected dogs are asymptomatic. However, some dogs can develop clinical signs within 2-5 months of infection. The most common signs are fever, lethargy, anorexia, and intermittent, shifting leg lameness. Some dogs can experience Lyme nephritis, in which the kidneys are affected.
What does this test mean?
The test does not mean that your pet is automatically sick with Lyme disease. The test uses a small blood sample to determine if your pet has created immune system antibodies against Lyme. The test means that at some point your pet was bitten by a tick, exposed to Lyme, and your pet’s immune system is reacting to exposure. Even after a primary infection is gone, these antibodies will remain in the blood stream. Because of these antibodies, your pet may continue to test positive for Lyme year after year.
What are the next steps?
The next step will be to follow up with a full-service veterinary clinic. The veterinary clinic may recommend additional diagnostic and treatment options. Antibiotics, particularly doxycycline, are the primary treatment for Lyme disease. However, not all pets necessarily require treatment. Speak to your full-service veterinary clinic about the most appropriate treatment protocol for your pet.
Please remember to keep your pet on flea, tick, and heartworm prevention every month year-round for life. You can easily pick up your pet’s prevention at your local Community Clinic or order their prevention medication at https://www.vippetcare.com/shop-online/
Additional information about Lyme disease can be found at https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952009.
Ehrlichia
If your pet tested positive for EHRLICHIA on the heartworm/tick-borne disease test.
What is Ehrlichia?
Ehrlichia is a tick-borne disease caused by infection with the bacterium Ehrlichia ewingii. Most infected dogs are asymptomatic. However, some dogs can develop clinical signs including anorexia, stiff gait, lameness, lethargy, fever, or abnormal bruising on the skin (petechia).
What does this test mean?
The test does not mean that your pet is automatically sick with Ehrlichia. The test uses a small blood sample to determine if your pet has created immune system antibodies against Ehrlichia. The test means that at some point your pet was bitten by a tick, exposed to Ehrlichia, and your pet’s immune system is reacting to exposure. Even after a primary infection is gone, these antibodies will remain in the blood stream. Because of these antibodies, your pet may continue to test positive for Ehrlichia year after year.
What are the next steps?
Please remember to keep your pet on flea, tick, and heartworm prevention every month year-round for life. You can easily pick up your pet’s prevention at your local Community Clinic or order their prevention medication at https://www.vippetcare.com/shop-online/
The next step will be to follow up with a full-service veterinary clinic. The veterinary clinic may recommend additional diagnostic and treatment options. Antibiotics, particularly doxycycline, are the primary treatment for ehrlichiosis. However, not all pets necessarily require treatment. Speak to your full-service veterinary clinic about the most appropriate treatment protocol for your pet.
Additional information about Ehrlichia can be found at https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952341.
Anaplasma
If your pet tested positive for ANAPLASMA on the heartworm/tick-borne disease test.
What is Anaplasma?
Anaplasma is a tick-borne disease caused by infection with the bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Most infected dogs are asymptomatic. However, some dogs can develop clinical signs including but not limited to anorexia, stiff gait, lameness, lethargy, fever, or abnormal bruising on the skin (petechia).
What does this test mean?
The test does not mean that your pet is automatically sick with Anaplasma. The test uses a small blood sample to determine if your pet has created immune system antibodies against Anaplasma. The test means that at some point your pet was bitten by a tick, exposed to Anaplasma, and your pet’s immune system is reacting to exposure. Even after a primary infection is gone, these antibodies will remain in the blood stream. Because of these antibodies, your pet may continue to test positive for Anaplasma year after year.
What are the next steps?
Please remember to keep your pet on flea, tick, and heartworm prevention every month year-round for life. You can easily pick up your pet’s prevention at your local Community Clinic or order their prevention medication at https://www.vippetcare.com/shop-online/
The next step will be to follow up with a full-service veterinary clinic. The veterinary clinic may recommend additional diagnostic and treatment options. Antibiotics, particularly doxycycline, are the primary treatment for anaplasmosis. However, not all pets necessarily require treatment. Speak to your full-service veterinary clinic about the most appropriate treatment protocol for your pet.
Additional information about anaplasma can be found at https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=6191808.
