Reposted from theBeijinger forum:
Ehrlichia is a type of bacteria that infects different blood cells in various
animal species and in humans. In dogs the bacteria are Ehrlichia canis and
Ehrlichia ewingii. This organism is primarily transmitted by ticks.
Dogs may present with variable clinical signs but bleeding tendencies are the
most consistent presenting complaint in both the acute and chronic stages of the
disease. Other clinical signs include non-specific multi-systemic disorder with the
primary complaints being depression, lethargy, mild weight loss, vomiting,
diarrhea, and anorexia, with or without hemorrhagic tendencies.
The chronic condition is commonly suspected when there is excessive bleeding
during surgery. Treatment is usually routine over a minimum of 3 weeks but the Ehrlichia can rarely re-occur.
anemia. Many different species exist with varying host specificity. B. canis and
B. gibsoni are two organisms commonly known to infect dogs. Both organisms have tick vectors. Infection by B. gibsoni is increasing in frequency, particularly in North America.
There also is evidence that some direct animal-to-animal transmission may occur,
as when an infected dog with oral abrasions bites a naïve dog.
ranging from collapse, severe bleeding and shock to a chronic sub-clinical
infection presenting with signs of general ill-thrift and depression.
Unfortunately treatment for Babesia is highly complicated, can be dangerous to
your dog and not always effective with recurrence being common.
