PIRSA Urges Dog Owners To Watch Out For Ehrlichiosis Tick As It Reaches SA.

Ehrlichiosis disease in dogs

PIRSA has published some great info on this threat to dogs. Including how to report the disease, information about travelling with your dog, moving dogs to South Australia from interstate, about ehrlichiosis, symptoms of ehrlichiosis in dogs, advice for dog owners, preventing ehrlichiosis and even Information for vets and a Facts Sheet.

Here are the main introductory points:
Ehrlichiosis is a tick-borne disease of dogs that causes fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, abnormal bleeding, pain and weight loss. If not treated properly it can result in death.

Ticks carrying the disease have been detected in South Australia for the first time. In January 2021, laboratory testing of ticks collected from dogs in the far north regions confirmed the presence of the ehrlichiosis-causing bacteria Ehrlichia canis (E. canis). The disease was detected for the first time in Australia in Western Australia and the Northern Territory in mid-2020.

Dogs infected with the disease cannot transmit the disease to other dogs – the only way transmission can occur is through infected ticks and infected dogs do not transmit ehrlichiosis to people, however in rare cases, infected ticks may infect people. Information about ticks and human health precautions is available from the WA Health website (linked on the website below).

More Information on the PIRSA Website