Dog positive for anaplasmosis or ehrlichia, no symptoms. Treat?

Question

If anaplasmosis and erlichia tests are positive, but no symptoms at all should the dog be treated?

Lauren Jones VMD · Accepted Answer

This is a tricky situation because there isn't a definitive answer with these circumstances. If a dog is positive for either (or both) Anaplasma and Erhlichia, then at a minimum, a CBC (complete blood count) should be run to check on the red & white blood cells, and platelets. Both of these diseases can affect blood cells, which can lead to bleeding issues. If any blood cell lines are affected, then yes, the dog should be treated. If all blood cell counts are normal and the dog is asymptomatic, then there's a bit more of a gray area. As in human medicine, veterinary medicine tries to be cautious in our use of antibiotics, which are the drugs used to treat these infections. Obviously, it's important to use antibiotics when they're needed. If they aren't absolutely necessary, then we should avoid overuse because this leads to bacterial resistance, meaning that the antibiotics may not work when we really need them. Personally, I tend to not treat positive dogs that are asymptomatic with normal CBCs, but other vets may have different preferences. https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/anaplasmosis/ https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/ehrlichia/

Dog positive for anaplasmosis or ehrlichia, no symptoms. Treat?

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