Ehrlichiosis in Dogs: Welfare and Prevention

Key Welfare Considerations

• Ehrlichia canis transmitted by brown dog tick causes monocytic ehrlichiosis with significant welfare impacts.
• Acute phase welfare signs include fever, lethargy, weight loss, and thrombocytopenia.
• Chronic ehrlichiosis causes severe pancytopenia, weight loss, and bone marrow welfare failure.
• Ocular welfare complications including uveitis and retinal haemorrhage are characteristic.
• European brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) is the primary vector in warm climates.
• Doxycycline for 4-6 weeks is the welfare treatment of choice for all forms of ehrlichiosis.
• Platelet transfusion provides welfare support for severe thrombocytopenic bleeding episodes.
• Chronic phase welfare prognosis is guarded — bone marrow suppression may be irreversible.
• Regular tick prevention with prescription acaricides is the primary welfare prevention strategy.
• Dogs travelling to southern Europe and Mediterranean countries have highest welfare exposure risk.
• Testing for ehrlichiosis should accompany return from high-risk welfare travel areas.
• Concurrent Babesia and Leishmania infections are welfare common in Mediterranean travel dogs.
• Welfare monitoring through serial CBCs guides treatment response in chronic ehrlichiosis cases.
• Immunosuppressed or splenectomised dogs have increased ehrlichiosis welfare severity risk.
• Climate change expanding tick habitats will increase UK ehrlichiosis welfare exposure over time.