Can ticks cause anemia in dogs?

If you have ever experienced anemia in your dog, you might have noticed symptoms, such as labored breathing, fatigue, and weight loss. One of the simplest signs of anemia in dogs can be pale pink or white gums.

What is anemia? In laymen’s terms, anemia is a decreased level of red blood cells and/or hemoglobin. According to VCA Hospitals, there are three main types of diseases that can cause anemia in dogs. Those that destroy or break down red blood cells, cause decreased production of red blood cells, or cause blood loss. This means that much investigative work could be necessary to properly diagnose any condition that your dog might have, which is causing anemia. Blood tests, urinalysis, fecal parasite exam, and even a bone marrow biopsy or ultrasound could be on the list of diagnostic needs for your dog if he or she has anemia.

What are some conditions that can cause anemia?

Anemia might be a result of an extreme case of parasite infestation – yes, ticks can cause anemia. Other causes could be cancerous or non-cancerous tumors that are causing your dog to hemorrhage. Internal trauma can also be the cause. Other scenarios could have an anemic dog diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, cancer, or acute poisoning. If you believe that your dog might be anemic, seek medical attention immediately.

Can tick-borne illnesses cause anemia in dogs?

Yes, one disease, which results in damaged or destroyed red blood cells in dogs is Babesiosis. This tick-borne illness is caused by a blood parasite called Babesia. Like Lyme infection, Babesia infection is caused primarily by the bite of an infected black legged tick. Your best friend could also contract this nasty blood parasite from a tainted transfusion. For this reason, dogs that have received a Babesiosis diagnosis can never be blood donors. Even though there are FDA-recommended treatments for dogs with this tick-borne illness, prognosis can be guarded. Your dog might survive, but still be, “sub-clinically infected,” according to VCA Hospitals. This means that your dog could relapse into illness after successful treatment. If you think your dog might have received a bite from a tick, seek medical attention immediately.

Protect your best friend with Litchfield tick control.

As it pertains to tick infestations and tick-borne illness, an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure. Trust Mosquito Squad’s professional, year-round tick protection around your home. Our barrier tick control formula is applied to your lawn from the perimeter all the way to the areas close to your home. While all ticks can never be eliminated, ultimate tick protection also includes Mosquito Squad’s tick tubes in the cold-weather months, to help reduce the number of ticks that emerge in the spring.

Mosquito Squad of Southern New Hampshire will help protect your family from the threat of infected ticks around your home with year-round tick control. Call us at (603) 538-3125 to begin your Litchfield tick control program today.