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News, latest news, dog, working dogs, dog, disease, ehrlichiosis, queensland, australia
One in ten Australian dogs infected with Ehrlichiosis has died. The high death rate was identified in the latest statistics for the National Ehrlichiosis Monitoring Program from a total of 867 dogs sampled from the Northern Territory and Western Australia. A total of 323 of these dogs were found to be positive for the disease, or 37 percent. Only Victoria, ACT and Tasmania have yet to report a discovery of the disease, which has spread rapidly across Australia since it was discovered less than a year ago. Ehrlichiosis causes fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, abnormal bleeding, pain, and weight loss, and, if not treated quickly, death. Queensland is the newest country to also confirm cases of Ehrlichiosis from infected dogs from the Northern Territory. Three dogs out of a group of five who traveled from the Territory to Queensland late last month tested positive. The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries has also confirmed that a single dog that traveled from the NT late last year was also confirmed positive. “Biosecurity Queensland is working with the owners of these dogs to ensure they are receiving appropriate care, including veterinary assessment, treatment and implementation of an effective tick control program,” said a department spokesperson. There are still no plans to set up border controls for dogs, as initially discussed by national biosecurity officials. Some experts say it is probably too late and probably too difficult to enforce. NSW has also treated dogs from the territory infected with the disease. Brown ticks, which transmit the disease, rather than the dogs, have been found to be infected with Ehrlichiosis in northern South Australia. The hot spots for the disease are northern WA, where it was first discovered last May, and the Northern Territory, where it was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of dogs. A Federal Agriculture Department spokesman has confirmed that infected animals have been brought to NSW and Queensland “and are receiving veterinary treatment.” The spokesman said the national response will be coordinated through the Animal Health Committee. “The disease requires a tick vector, so the focus has been on advocating tick control to slow its spread.” Some experts warn dog owners not to rely too heavily on chew-type tick control methods, saying ticks still have time to spread the disease through the dog’s blood. “Some states have a general biosecurity obligation that prevents infected animals from moving or introducing disease into a state,” the spokesman said. Western Australia has movement restrictions for dogs from north to south. “People who move or bring dogs off the highway or adopt rescue dogs should always ask questions about where the animals came from, what health they are and what tick prevention they have before they are brought to Queensland,” said the Queensland spokesman . Dog owners have been warned to keep their dogs away from areas with high ticks such as stops or bushland areas. “You should also regularly check your dog for ticks and try to avoid areas where ticks may be found when you travel,” said Dr. Mary Carr, Chief Veterinary Officer of the SA. Despite strict quarantine programs over many years aimed at keeping this disease out of Australia, no one is sure how it got in and there is no vaccine for it. Ehrlichiosis is a nationally reportable disease.
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February 16, 2021 – 2:30 p.m.
One in ten Australian dogs infected with Ehrlichiosis has died.
The high mortality rate was identified in the latest statistics for the National Ehrlichiosis Surveillance Program for a total of 867 dogs sampled from the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
A total of 323 of these dogs were found to be positive for the disease, or 37 percent.
Only Victoria, ACT and Tasmania have not yet reported a discovery of the disease, which has spread rapidly across Australia since its discovery less than a year ago.
Ehrlichiosis causes fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, abnormal bleeding, pain, and weight loss, and, if not treated quickly, death.
Queensland is the newest country to also confirm cases of Ehrlichiosis from infected dogs from the Northern Territory.
Three dogs out of a group of five who traveled from the Territory to Queensland late last month tested positive.
The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries has also confirmed that a single dog that traveled from the NT late last year was also confirmed positive.
“Biosecurity Queensland is working with the owners of these dogs to ensure they are receiving appropriate care, including veterinary assessment, treatment and implementation of an effective tick control program,” said a department spokesperson.
There are no plans yet to establish border controls for dogs, as was initially discussed by national biosecurity officials.
Some experts say it is probably too late and probably too difficult to enforce.
Brown ticks, which transmit the disease, rather than the dogs, have been found to be infected with Ehrlichiosis in northern South Australia.
The hot spots for the disease are northern WA, where it was first discovered last May, and the Northern Territory, where it was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of dogs.
A Federal Agriculture Department spokesman has confirmed that infected animals have been brought to NSW and Queensland “and are receiving veterinary treatment.”
The spokesman said the national response will be coordinated through the Animal Health Committee.
“The disease requires a tick vector, so the focus has been on advocating tick control to slow its spread.”
Some experts warn dog owners not to rely too heavily on tick control methods when they chew, saying ticks still have time to spread the disease through the dog’s blood.
“Some states have a general biosecurity obligation that prevents infected animals from moving or introducing disease into a state,” the spokesman said.
Western Australia has movement restrictions for dogs from north to south.
“People who move or bring dogs off the freeway or adopt rescue dogs should always ask questions about where the animals came from, what state of health they are and what tick prevention they have before they are brought to Queensland,” said the Queensland spokesman .
Dog owners have been warned to keep their dogs away from areas with tall ticks such as stops or bushland areas.
“You should also regularly check your dog for ticks and try to avoid areas where ticks may be found when you travel,” said Dr. Mary Carr, Chief Veterinary Officer of the SA.
Despite strict quarantine programs over many years aimed at keeping this disease out of Australia, no one is sure how it got in and there is no vaccine for it.
Ehrlichiosis is a nationally reportable disease.
