Canine Ehrlichiosis Spreads Across Northern Australia, Vets Issue Warning
DARWIN, AUSTRALIA – Veterinarians across northern Australia areโ alerting dog owners toโข the increasing prevalence of canine ehrlichiosis, a potentially fatal tick-borne disease. The disease, first detected in Western Australia in โค2020 and afterwardโค identified in Queensland in 2022, has nowโ spreadโค to the Northern territory and Southโ Australia, posing a growing threat โto canineโ health.
Ehrlichiosis, caused by bacteria โtransmitted through the bite of the brown dog tick, โขis now considered endemic in parts โofโค Australia, meaning it no longer needs to be reported to authorities. This shift makes determining the โคtrue extent of the spread difficult, but experts warn that theโข disease is highly likely more widespread than current data suggests. “It’s a tick that โis โคso well-suited to Australia,”โฃ said Dr. Ahlstrom, highlighting the challenges in controlling the disease.
The brown dog tick thrives in โฃwarmer climates and is well-adapted to the Australian environment.Initially, when ehrlichiosisโ arrived in โAustralia, suspected cases were required to be reported toโค veterinaryโค authorities, allowing for initial tracking of the disease. however,โ with its endemic status, โขaccurate prevalence rates are now unknown. “It was still very much kind ofโฃ the tip of โฃthe iceberg because of the regions where โขthe disease is most prevalent,” Dr. Ahlstrom explained.
Symptoms of ehrlichiosis in dogs canโ varyโ but frequently enough include fever,lethargy,loss of appetite,and bleedingโ disorders.Early detection and treatment with antibiotics are crucial for improving a dog’s chances of recovery. Dog โฃowners are urged toโข practice preventativeโข measures, including regular tick checks,โข the use of tick preventative medications, and awareness of the areas whereโ brown dog ticksโข are common – generally north of a line acrossโค the continent (see โmap, supplied by Biosecurity Tasmania).