My Dog Is Anaplasma Positive
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Your pet tested positive for exposure to Anaplasma on
a 4DX test. Anaplasma (formerly called Ehrlichia equi) is
a bacteria carried by ticks. This bacteria can cause
severe health problems, such as high fevers, swollen
and painful joints, vomiting, brain disease, and
disorders of the immune system. Not every dog
infected with this bacteria will become sick, however.
The 4DX test detects antibodies, which are proteins
produced by white blood cells in order to fight infection.
A positive test means that at some point in time your
dog was bitten by a deer tick and infected with
Anaplasma. This test will turn positive about 10-14
days after infection. Many dogs will fight off and clear
the infection on their own. Some dogs will not, and
these are the dogs that can become sick.
a 4DX test. Anaplasma (formerly called Ehrlichia equi) is
a bacteria carried by ticks. This bacteria can cause
severe health problems, such as high fevers, swollen
and painful joints, vomiting, brain disease, and
disorders of the immune system. Not every dog
infected with this bacteria will become sick, however.
The 4DX test detects antibodies, which are proteins
produced by white blood cells in order to fight infection.
A positive test means that at some point in time your
dog was bitten by a deer tick and infected with
Anaplasma. This test will turn positive about 10-14
days after infection. Many dogs will fight off and clear
the infection on their own. Some dogs will not, and
these are the dogs that can become sick.
Unfortunately, we cannot tell if your dog has an active infection based on this test alone. We know that
your dog was infected at least two weeks ago, possibly many years ago. We need to determine if the
infection is active. Dogs with an active infection should be treated with antibiotics. Dogs that do not
have active infections do not need treatment. Unnecessary treatment has the potential to cause
antibiotic resistance in some bacteria and may produce side effects in your dog. We should only treat
active infections.
1. If your dog has a fever, fluid inside the joints, or any other sign or tests that fit with an active
infection, we will treat your dog with antibiotics. If your dog also tested positive for Lyme (and has never
had treatment), we will recommend antibiotics.
2. If your dog is not showing clinical signs, we need to run tests to see if there are active bacteria in
the system. The first test we recommend is a complete blood count (CBC). Most dogs with active
infections will have changes on this test, so if we see changes we will treat. If the test is normal, we
probably don’t need to treat. This test is run in our clinic and we will have the results the same day.
3. We can collect a blood sample for a PCR test. This test looks for Anaplasma DNA in the blood, and
if it is positive it means there is an active infection. We have to send this test to an outside laboratory.
The downside is that it may take a few weeks to get results, and it is fairly expensive.
In order to prevent problems in the future we recommend that your dog be on a good tick control product
from spring through fall. We recommend Frontline. Avoid tick-infested areas when possible, and check
your dog (and yourself!) for ticks following any outings.
There is no vaccination for this disease. Dogs may test positive for many years after an infection, even if
the infection is not active. Dogs that test positive need to have their cell counts checked every 6-12
months to make sure there are no problems developing.
Please let us know at any time if you have additional questions or concerns about Anaplasma and your
dog’s symptoms or treatment.
your dog was infected at least two weeks ago, possibly many years ago. We need to determine if the
infection is active. Dogs with an active infection should be treated with antibiotics. Dogs that do not
have active infections do not need treatment. Unnecessary treatment has the potential to cause
antibiotic resistance in some bacteria and may produce side effects in your dog. We should only treat
active infections.
1. If your dog has a fever, fluid inside the joints, or any other sign or tests that fit with an active
infection, we will treat your dog with antibiotics. If your dog also tested positive for Lyme (and has never
had treatment), we will recommend antibiotics.
2. If your dog is not showing clinical signs, we need to run tests to see if there are active bacteria in
the system. The first test we recommend is a complete blood count (CBC). Most dogs with active
infections will have changes on this test, so if we see changes we will treat. If the test is normal, we
probably don’t need to treat. This test is run in our clinic and we will have the results the same day.
3. We can collect a blood sample for a PCR test. This test looks for Anaplasma DNA in the blood, and
if it is positive it means there is an active infection. We have to send this test to an outside laboratory.
The downside is that it may take a few weeks to get results, and it is fairly expensive.
In order to prevent problems in the future we recommend that your dog be on a good tick control product
from spring through fall. We recommend Frontline. Avoid tick-infested areas when possible, and check
your dog (and yourself!) for ticks following any outings.
There is no vaccination for this disease. Dogs may test positive for many years after an infection, even if
the infection is not active. Dogs that test positive need to have their cell counts checked every 6-12
months to make sure there are no problems developing.
Please let us know at any time if you have additional questions or concerns about Anaplasma and your
dog’s symptoms or treatment.
