Ehrlichiosis is a serious tick-borne disease affecting dogs in Mediterranean Europe and beyond, causing significant suffering if untreated and requiring effective tick prevention programmes.
Canine ehrlichiosis causes progressive and often severe illness if undetected and untreated. The subclinical phase can persist for months, during which bone marrow suppression silently progresses, making the disease particularly dangerous. Dogs in southern Europe, North Africa, and the Mediterranean islands are at highest risk, particularly those living outdoors or travelling between regions. Year-round tick prevention with licensed acaricides significantly reduces infection risk and is the cornerstone of welfare-protective management.