[Magdalen] Canine Update.

[Cantor03 at aol.com]

A followup on our sick black Cocker Spaniel:
 
She tested positive for canine erlichiosis, a tick borne rickettsial  
disease,
secondary to Erlichia canis.
 
Her symptoms read like a text book illustration of this condition,  about
which I knew nothing because it's uncommon in humans who can get
it by tick bite).
 
Reading about this condition, her nose bleeds should have pointed
in the right diagnostic direction earlier, and I'm more than a bit  cross
that so very many $$$ have been spent over the past couple of years
in treating this, incorrectly labeled canine autoimmune hemolytic  anemia.
 
The dog is taking oral doxycycline and receiving weekly  Chloramphenical
injections.  She is clinically much improved, and has been out  of
hospital for several days.
 
She is the one long-haired dog we have that is difficult to monitor  for
ticks.  Further, she doesn't run about much out of our dog  enclosures,
making tick bites unusual.  We'll simply have to be more  vigilant.
 
 
 
David Strang.