A bite from an infected tick can cause the death of an animal. The article describes the signs of infection in domestic animals and suggests methods for preventing the disease.
Tick-borne encephalitis can cause death in humans, and tick-borne piroplasmosis can kill animals. To prevent this from happening, after a tick bite it is necessary to take a number of preventive measures.
Regular examination of the animal will help to detect the attached parasite in time.
Tick that carries infections
If your dog is bitten by an encephalitis tick: symptoms and signs
Most often, infection ends in death for the animal. an incubation period begins , which can last from two to three weeks .
At this time the animal:
- temperature rises
- motor system disorders appear
- convulsions may occur
- there is lethargy
- heart rate increases
The disease affects the nervous system, increasing pain. The dog's behavior changes. She becomes aggressive and unpredictable. Possible paralysis.
One of the first signs of the development of the disease is the appearance of blood in the animal’s urine and a further change in its color from dark brown to black.
Signs and symptoms of piroplasmosis
We remind you that after removing the parasite, the animal must be under observation. The incubation period for the development of the virus can be rapid or sluggish. It can last for 24-36 hours or appear within a week.
The period depends on factors:
- number of bites containing infectious virus;
- the health status of the pet before the bite;
- age (it is believed that individuals over 4 years of age are more resistant to the virus);
- whether vaccination was carried out.
It is not always possible to detect and remove a tick in a timely manner. It is possible that, having drunk blood, he fell off on his own. To understand that a dog has been bitten by a tick,” you need to know what the clinical picture of the development of piroplasmosis looks like, and what its stages and symptoms are.
Primary stage:
- lethargy, depression;
- loss of appetite;
These signs alone are enough to rush to the clinic. When, in addition to them, the temperature rises to 40 degrees or more, the mucous membranes become pale, yellowness appears on them, vomiting occurs, the dog diarrhea, it becomes clear that the disease is serious and it is possible that it is piroplasmosis.
A positive result of treating the disease at an early stage is achieved within 2 days. Next, recovery therapy is prescribed.
Launched stage:
- a sharp increase in temperature to 41-42 degrees;
- urine acquires a dark, atypical color;
- smell from the mouth;
- body trembling;
- dyspnea;
- diarrhea with blood particles;
- vomit;
- the eyeballs acquire a yolk tint. vaginal bleeding in bitches.
If an increase in temperature is followed by an improvement after a few days, you should not relax. This is a temporary phenomenon, which may be followed by a sharp deterioration in the condition. Blood appears in the stool and urine. Since it is difficult to determine the color of urine on earth in summer, if piroplasmosis is suspected, you should try to place a white napkin under the dog. With piroplasmosis, a greenish-brown spot will remain on it. Urine at this time may even be black.
Extremely difficult stage:
- a set of symptoms of the primary and secondary stages;
- unsteadiness of movements;
- limb failure;
- convulsions.
The chance of salvation in a severe stage is small. The treatment period lasts from 1-3 weeks and has serious further consequences. Failure of the limbs and convulsions lead to cerebral edema, rescue is impossible.
According to veterinary reports, in the case of an advanced stage of the disease, 98 dogs out of 100 die. If a dog is bitten by a tick, then promptly recognized symptoms and timely treatment are fundamental factors.
Treatment of encephalitis in dogs
If you are bitten by a tick, you should not suddenly pull it out. There is a danger of leaving the legs of the parasite, which will cause inflammation. You should drop a couple of drops of kerosene, oil, alcohol or gasoline on the tick.
If the bloodsucker does not fall off on its own, remove it with tweezers, turning it around its axis.
IMPORTANT: After removing the tick, the bite site should be wiped with a 2% aqueous solution of chlorophos or entomazan. cannot carry out manipulations with bare hands.
The dog can be saved if Azidine .
An Azidin injection after a tick bite can save a dog's life
Emergency actions if a dog is bitten by a tick
First of all, carefully remove the tick using any known methods: tweezers, a loop of thread, or a hot needle. To facilitate removal, drop oil onto the parasite. It is imperative to remove the entire parasite and ensure that it has a head, otherwise the remains of the tick will cause severe symptoms of intoxication.
The next step is to visit a doctor. The veterinarian, taking into account the dog’s condition, will prescribe treatment and certain laboratory tests to confirm the diagnosis.
How long will a dog with necrotizing encephalitis live?
Small breed dogs are susceptible to necrotizing encephalitis. This is a disease that is characterized by the appearance of necrotic foci of inflammation in the brain and is not the result of bites of blood-sucking parasites.
With this disease it is noted:
- visual impairment
- coordination of movements
- pain
- disturbance of consciousness
- convulsions
- paralysis
As a rule, necrotizing encephalitis ends in the death of the dog, but the animal’s recovery is possible.
Usually hormonal, antibacterial and diuretic drugs are prescribed for treatment.
Necrotizing encephalitis develops in small breed dogs
Vaccination against encephalitis for dogs
There is no vaccine for canine encephalitis, as well as for piroplasmosis. However, to prevent parasite bites, you can use the Scalibor . It works based on deltamethrin, which repels ticks.
Vaccination is possible to increase the animal's immunity. The dog is injected with drugs that help fight parasites, but are not treated. Such vaccinations are very toxic and can harm the pet’s health.
IMPORTANT: When using untested antiparasitic, immune-supporting vaccines and medications, you may miss the onset of the disease, since the symptoms will be suppressed.
There are vaccinations of a suppressed virus that is injected into the animal. The dog's immune system must develop antibodies. This method of vaccination is risky and does not guarantee safety from infection.
Ticks on an animal's body
Diagnosis of pathology
To make an accurate diagnosis, the doctor carries out a number of measures. Thanks to an integrated approach, it is possible to select the optimal treatment tactics.
Physical studies
First of all, the veterinarian collects anamnesis and conducts a visual examination of the animal. If necessary, he can also measure body temperature, blood pressure, and assess the condition of the skin, mucous membranes, and muscle tissues.
Hardware and laboratory methods
When carrying out diagnostics, the following studies are used:
analysis of urine, blood, cerebrospinal fluid;- bacteriological culture;
- CT or MRI;
- X-ray of the head.
Insect research
To make the diagnosis easier, it is recommended to bring a tick removed from your pet to the veterinary clinic.
By conducting laboratory tests, specialists identify pathogenic microorganisms in the insect and determine the type of virus. For this purpose, both the whole insect and its fragments can be used.
Do cats get encephalitis?
Cats, like dogs, are also at risk of contracting piroplasmosis. Rare or no walks do not guarantee safety.
The host himself can become a carrier of the parasite. Therefore, it is necessary to remember to regularly inspect and treat the animal.
Symptoms of piroplasmosis:
- temperature
- anemia
- febrile state
- vomit
- constipation
An increase in temperature in a cat is one of the signs of infection.
Encephalitis in cats symptoms
The incubation period of encephalitis (pyroplasmosis) in cats can last from 2 to 14 days. If an insect is found, it should be removed correctly.
During the first two weeks, your cat may experience and develop symptoms:
- temperature increase
- lethargy
- profuse tearfulness
- nasal discharge
- loss of appetite
Then coordination disorders, loss of consciousness, convulsions, and paralysis appear.
IMPORTANT: The disease may pass faster and will appear within a few hours after the bite. The cat experiences weakness, unsteadiness, diarrhea, convulsions, and coma.
Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis for cats
There is no vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis for cats.
After each walk, you need to examine your pet. The tick looks for the most fur-free place. You need to pay special attention to the cat’s ears, armpits, groin, and belly. Animals with short hair are more likely to contract the parasite.
You can protect your cat as much as possible from tick bites by applying special sprays to the fur and drops on the withers.
Application of anti-tick spray
Diagnostic methods
In addition to collecting anamnesis, examination and palpation, the veterinarian can use additional and more effective methods for identifying tick-borne encephalitis:
- radiography of the skull;
- MRI or CT;
- Ultrasound;
- bacterial crops;
- EEG;
- bacteriological analysis of cerebrospinal fluid.
With the help of a detailed examination and diagnosis, it is possible to identify the disease, as well as the complications caused by it.
Note! To ensure efficiency and speed up diagnosis, it is recommended to bring the insect that bit the dog to the laboratory for testing.
How is encephalitis transmitted?
The parasite secretes saliva. The first portion of it attaches the proboscis to the body of a person or animal. The second one numbs the bite site. For this reason, the bite itself may simply not be felt.
The virus enters the body along with the tick's saliva. If the dose of the virus is not large enough, and the victim’s immunity is able to fight the infection, then encephalitis may not develop.
The virus enters the body with the saliva of the tick
There are different forms of tick-borne encephalitis:
- febrile
- meningeal
- focal
- chronic
After infection, a person may experience the following symptoms:
- weakness
- chills
- temperature
- headache
- nausea, vomiting
- conjunctivitis
- disturbance of consciousness and sleep
- paralysis of the muscles of the face and neck
IMPORTANT: A person can become infected with encephalitis by consuming fresh milk from a sick animal. You can also catch encephalitis through the saliva of an infected animal.
A reliable way to prevent the disease in humans is vaccination against encephalitis, which provides 95% protection. Immunization is carried out in several stages for children over 3 years of age and adults.
Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis is included in the vaccination calendar.
How to remove a tick at home
You can extract the “vampire” yourself. Unscrew it counterclockwise, like a bolt. The capture is made as close to the victim's body as possible. It is extremely important not to tear the insect’s body away from the proboscis and mouthparts. Do not pull or try to pull out the tick with a sharp jerk, otherwise parts of the insect will remain in the body. This will lead to an inflammatory process, suppuration and abscess.
Tip 1 - pharmacy tweezers
You can use special tweezers (sold at the pharmacy). They have curved ends and allow you to unscrew the insect efficiently, without breaking.
Tip 2 – tweezers
Take cosmetic tweezers and work with them in the same way as pharmacy tweezers. The tweezers have a different configuration and with an awkward movement they can tear the body of the parasite from the oral cavity.
Tip 3 - “Lasso” made of strong thread
Take a strong silky thread and form a lasso loop in the center. Throw it over the bloodsucker and secure it. Then pull the left and right ends of the thread alternately, thereby loosening the insect.
Tip 4 – manual removal
The parasite can be removed using a finger grip. Firmly grab the body of the insect with your thumb and forefinger and twist it in 2-3 turns.
Tip 5 – syringe
You should always have an insulin syringe on hand. Cut off the tip with a knife. Apply the cut syringe to the “vampire” and, pulling back the plunger, try to get the insect. The method is suitable if it has not yet penetrated deeply into the skin.
