Ehrlichiosis

The acute phase of ehrlichiosis typically begins within three weeks of infection, presenting with fever and thrombocytopenia (a decrease in platelet count). Following this phase, most dogs either develop immunity and recover or progress to a subclinical (asymptomatic) form of the disease. The subclinical form may involve mild fever and persistent thrombocytopenia but no clinical symptoms. This stage can last from months to years. An animal may recover even from the subclinical stage, but the disease can also progress to a chronic form, becoming a severe and persistent condition. Chronic ehrlichiosis may include recurrent fever, bone marrow suppression leading to pancytopenia (a deficiency of all blood cell types), peripheral edema, mucosal hemorrhages, nosebleeds, and neurological symptoms caused by cerebral hemorrhage or meningitis. Dogs with chronic ehrlichiosis typically no longer respond to treatment and may eventually succumb to the disease. Dogs that recover from ehrlichiosis can remain carriers of the disease for up to two years after recovery.