Ehrlichia
My littlest sheepie is being treated for it while we await test results... both blood and titer. We think she may have had this since she was 9 weeks old. Any experience you can share would be appreciated. This is how if first presented itself (emails to a friend a couple of days after she arrived)... "Their scale says she weighs 9 pounds. He felt we should keep her food out for her all the time..." (She also had fleas and a tapeworm.) "... I noticed a lump near her jaw yesterday that was movable. She did not eat real well and she threw up so we made another appointment. The vet found 2 lumps on her neck which he aspirated but only drew blood... no pus, etc. They were painful so she was put on an amoxicillan just as a precaution and also an anti-inflammatory med to reduce the pain/swelling. She was also given 2 shots before she left the office to get the meds in her system right away... her blood tests came back and her protein is a bit low so he recommended we supplement her with a little protein, her phospherous was high, she's slightly anemic but he had already put her on liquid vitamins and her white blood cells were slightly low but he indicated it could be degradation of the sample on the way to the lab." Her bloodwork has always shown a somewhat lower than normal level of platelets, globulin and white cells... tested just after she arrived and 2 other times also. Nothing to indicate an emergency, only an abnormality. Our vet spoke with the internist with the lab the other day and she recommended follow up bloodwork including a titer test... I think to look for the antibodies caused by this bacterial infection. They drew more blood yesterday which will be sent to the lab, then part of the sample onto a lab that specializes in diagnosing this. We started her on Doxycycline until we can determine IF this is actually the cause. Her symptoms a year ago may have been during the acute stage of the infection. I guess Ehrlichia is one of those sicknesses that can have vague symptoms until it gets to the chronic phase where symptoms can be very serious. If you have any experience with Ehrlichia, is this how it presented itself? Any info you can share would be appreciated. I am so terrible at waiting. |
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| No knowledge or experience with this, just ((((HUGS))))) for you & your baby!! |
| It is a rickettsial disease spread by the brown dog tick. Infection occurs when the organism is transmitted via the tick saliva during a blood meal. After infection the organism multiplies within the white blood cells (monocyte in particular) which travel through the blood stream to the liver, spleen and lymph nodes. The infected cell can infect other organs. This infection results in damage to the blood vessels, consumption of platelets and red blood cell destruction. It is usually also going to suppress the bone marrow causing something called aplastic anemia. Dogs unable to get their immune system to respond become chronically ill.
Diagnosis of the acute phase: -depression, anorexia, fever, weight loss, eye and nose discharge, inflammed lymph nodes, swelling in the limbs Diagnosis of chronic phase: - bleeding tendencies, severe weight loss, tender abdomen, retinal hemorrhages Treatment: - tetracycline, Doxycycline Other: The prognosis of this is generally good. Because some dogs dont mount the appropriate immune responce, they may become reinfected, long term meds may be needed in areas of higher incidence of these ticks. Get good tick control and prevention |
| Her weight is only 9 lbs?? Is this a sheepdog we are talking about? |
Thanks for the info OES4ever. Does it sound like this bacterial disease to you? You being a vet tech and all. (Just send me a bill for the consultation  ) I guess it would actually be good because that's treatable and no further tests would be required... otherwise the vet mentioned a bone marrow biopsy.
Yeah Hannah, she's a sheepie-girl  She was a cleft palate pup that was tube fed the first 5 weeks of life. When she flew in on January 27, 2005 she weighed in at only 9 pounds at 9 weeks of age. http://www.pomeroys.com/EmmaDarby/Kaytee/index22.jpg
She now tips the scale at 42 pounds at just over a year old so she'll always be a wee-sheepie... but she's come a very long way. http://www.pomeroys.com/EmmaDarby/Kayte ... TheAir.jpg http://www.pomeroys.com/EmmaDarby/AboutU321.jpg |
| Wow, she is a tiny thing! |
| Just posting with additional information on this tick causing sickness... in case someone should ever search the site's postings for info. Those little ticks can cause life threatening sicknesses that are difficult to diagnose because symptoms are vague. Here's a more indepth article.
http://home.earthlink.net/~hawkeye87/Eh ... m#Foreward I got a call from the vet this afternoon and Kaytee also has another infection going on... they sent out a urine sample for determination and hope to have some results back on Monday. Jeez Louise. |
| little sheepies are great
einy was only 12 lbs at 14 weeks he now only at 56lbs at 15 months its a long story but hes great now got his vet check on the 20th so hoping asll is well good luck with your baby give her extra hugs from compact einy zoe and einy |
| I am not a vet so I can't diagnose anything but to me It sounds like your pup pretty much fits the diagnosis for Erlichia so I would say that this could definitely be your causitive agent. So thats good and bad news. You know how to treat it now but hopefully your pup doesnt go into the chronic phase. Im sure that your pup will get better soon. It will take a while for the recovery but prognosis with treatment if very good. Your vet is saying maybe a bone marrow biopsy to get a better look at whether or not the red blood cells and platelets are regenerating. When an animal is anemic, the bone marrow is responsible for regenerating the cells that have died. When the bone marrow doesnt do this its a very bad sign but when it shows improvement after a certain amount of treatment that is great which means they are on their way to recovery. Keep us updated on how your pup is doing.
I saw a case of Erlichia in a foal a couple of months ago, he didn't do so well at first but is back to normal now. Your pup will get better soon. Then its all about super duper tick control. Good luck, let me know if I can help |
| Horray for little sheepies. MO, left in avatar, is just 60 lbs (after a big meal). Other dog is Harry, a 1/2 sheepie??. Jack is not pictured, he's 100+ lbs. When Jack and Mo are together....it's commical.
Has the Erlichiosis diagnosis been confirmed? |
| Thanks again... you're experience and views are very much appreciated. I just want to know as much as I can so I can be prepared for whatever happens. I've read the bad side of this disease and just wondered if there was hope for a cure a year past the acute stage but not yet into the chronic stage.
It has NOT been diagnosed yet... it will take about 2 weeks for all of the results to come back. But our vet and the internist at the lab seem to feel this may be the problem so treatment has been started. I must say we're worried sick over this. She has come so far in the past year. I just got an email that this bacterial infection is a big problem in Texas and that's where Kaytee came from. I pray she's going to be okay. Now it's just a waiting game and I've not been blessed with that gift. 
Little sheepies are so very special... the medium, large and extra large ones are too |
| Hi,
I don't have any advice for you but just wanted to offer my support and hope the best for your little one. Marianne and the boys |
| I as well have no advice on this topic...but hope the wee girl is feeling better soon! |
| Sending along sheepie hugs and wishes for a speedy recovery!! |
| Grrrr, the SNAP test should have been adminstered before she left Texas! It is easy to do and instant results.
sheepieboss/susan |
| It does sound like Erlichia. I hope she's better soon |
| Thanks so much for all of your support. I admit we are sick about this. I still have to say though until we get a final diagnosis it's still a big IF. But to me it sounds like it's Ehrlichia.
Susan, what is the SNAP test? Can you tell me more about it? Not that it will help me but I have a friend that was wondering too. |
| I found it...
http://www.aldf.com/snap3dx.htm The Snap® 3Dx® test helps determine the presence of Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis and heartworm and should be considered for use on an annual basis. Your veterinarian can use a simple in-clinic test to screen your dog for heartworm, Lyme and Ehrlichiosis (another tick-borne disease) all at once with just one blood sample. This test takes just eight minutes and will provide an accurate result, even if your dog has been vaccinated against Lyme disease. |
| Jaclin-
I hope you get good news about your little girl. We've had quite enough bad news on the forum lately. You and she will be in my thoughts. Holly |
| She had a good day yesterday but seems more tired again today. She does have a UTI with 2 types of bacteria... the Doxy will take care of one, Amoxycillin was started yesterday for the other. Her globulin and platelets are still low. That's all the tests we've gotten back so far. More waiting.
Thank you Holly for thinking of us when you yourself are experiencing a time of grief. I really appreciate it. Hugs to you. |
| Jaclin -so sorry you're having to go through this with your baby! My thoughts are with you. |
The Erlichia test came back negative!  If there were other colors I could clap I'd be doing it! We're still waiting for one more test to come back to see if there is an explanation for her continuous low blood counts and then decide if a bone marrow biopsy should be done.
My husband got me a singing telegram with chocolates for Valentine's Day... I missed the songs but the chocolates were great He ordered flowers but they called this morning to say the hand painted vase was out of stock but they could ship tomorrow  BUT we both got the best gift of all... the negative Rickettsia test. |
  
Wonderful news!! |
| I'm SO glad Jaclin! Hopefully it will be something minor Give your girl a big hug . |
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