Rocky mountain found Fever in animals
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Rocky mountain found fever is a tick-borne disease that has been seen in enhancing numbers in recent years, as veterinarians are doing much more and much more testing for tick-borne diseases. There are several species of ticks that may be involved, but the American canine tick is the most common one incriminated. depending upon the dog’s immune status, some animals will develop acute signs of Rocky mountain found fever, while others may develop much more chronic forms of this condition. An inflammation of the blood vessels secondary to infection is believed to be the cause of many of the medical symptoms in infected dogs.
The medical signs of Rocky mountain found fever are quite variable, but may include lethargy, loss of appetite, lameness and stiffness, swollen joints, bleeding from the mouth, anus or urinary tract, as well as bruising on the skin. Pneumonia and cardiac arrhythmias may also be seen. Many times, neurologic problems may occur.
Diagnosis of Rocky mountain found fever is best made by recognizing the medical signs, in conjunction with blood antibody testing to file recent exposure and infection. Recently, newer PCR blood tests are now available for numerous tick-borne diseases. Treatment of Rocky mountain found fever typically involves one month of therapy with the antibiotic Doxycycline. In rare cases, animals may need cortisone to help reduce the immune response.
Prognosis for full recovery is excellent, however occasionally animals may experience flare-ups months or years later. Because of the potential for human infection with Rocky mountain found fever, it is very essential to implement a good tick prevention program with products such as K9 Advantix II or Frontline Plus.