canine ehrlichiosis

an often fatal febrile disease of dogs in warm regions of the world, caused by Ehrlichia canis, which is spread by the tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus and infects the circulating lymphocytes. The acute phase consists of fever, discharge from the eyes and nose, anorexia, dyspnea, lymphadenopathy, and central nervous system signs. In the subclinical phase, clinical signs disappear but antigenemia, thrombocytopenia, and anemia persist. In the chronic phase, dogs have depression, weight loss, abdominal tenderness, hemorrhage, ocular lesions, ataxia, paralysis, and cranial nerve deficits.