Greyhound Dog Racing Tips.
Ehrlichia is a tick-born infectious blood disease that greyhounds commonly get while on the track. Symptoms may not show up in your greyhound for as long as 5-7 years following a bite from a tick carrying Ehrlichia. Your greyhound may have contacted the disease while at the track and then adopted out in another area of the country where Ehrlichia is not common. So make sure to tell your vet, if you know, what region your dog raced in or that he is an ex-racer who may have been infected by a tick. The most common species is Ehrlichia canis but there are other species of Erhlichia also. Ehrlichia canis is a rickettsia (an orgnamism somewhere between a bacteria and parasite) carried by the brown dog tick. Unfortunately it is very common on the track. All of the greyhounds mingle together sharing the ticks between one another.
There are 3 phases to the disease:
1. Acute phase. This phase is of short duration and is where the dog is initially infected with the disease. If the dog does not die from the infection in this phase, then it moves on to the next phase.
2. Sub clinical phase. This phase can last months or years. It is characterized by a fine line between the parasite and the immune system of the dog. This equilibrium can be disturbed by a number of things including environmental stress, additional diseases or infections, immunodeficiency, spleen removal, surgery, stress, hard work, use of corticosteroids (prednisone is not recommended). The dog may show a few clinical signs during this phase beyond intermittent fever and loss of appetite. If the equilibrium is disturbed, the parasite will begin to slowly grow in number and the dog will move into the next phase. Greyhounds are often in this phase when they are adopted out.
3. Chronic phase. If the dogs system remains unable to clear the parasite, it enters this final phase. The most obvious initial sign to an owner is lethargy, loss of interest in food, and a gradual loss of body condition, especially around the eyes and along the spine. Other symptoms include viral tumors on the face, mouth, and muzzle, hemorrhaging even when blood counts look normal, clotting problems, low or high calcium level, seizures, muscle wasting, skin infections, neurological signs, diarrhea, low platelet count, urine too alkaline, vomiting, low white blood cell count, anemia, bleeding from the nose or eyes, arthritis, weakness, incontinence, pneumonia, cough, kidney failure, increased thirst or urination, lack of coordination, neck or back pain, enlarged lymph nodes, and irreversible bone marrow suppression.
You can test for Ehrlichia with antibody titers. Titers measure the body's immune response to the bug, not the amount of bug in the dog's body. Generally, the more chronic the infection, the higher the titer.
Ehrlichia dogs respond dramatically and quickly (within days) to doxycycline. For this reason, greyhounds should be started on doxycycline as soon as Ehrlichia is suspected. Once the dog has responded to the treatment, it is recommended close observation of your greyhound and follow-up CBC's and titers every 6 months.
On a personal note, my greyhound Maggie was diagnosed with Ehrlichia when she came to our rescue group. The entire haul that came in from the track had Ehrlichia. She was immediately started on the doxycycline and has had no symptoms since that time. She is a healthy and happy grey. We have her checked at OSU frequently and keep a close eye on her but she is expected to live a normal life.
Greyhound Dog Racing.