Tiny Bite, Big Risk: Understanding Tick-Borne Diseases in Pets

Ticks are found everywhere. Whether your pet loves hiking the trails, exploring the backyard, tagging along on hunting trips, or just lounging in the grass, they’ll probably cross paths with a tick at some point. Sometimes that tiny hitchhiker leaves behind more than an annoying bite.

While not every tick carries disease—and not every tick bite leads to illness—some can transmit infections ranging from mild to life-threatening. The good news? Many tick-borne diseases are preventable, and when they do occur, early recognition and treatment can make all the difference.

Let’s take a closer look at the most common tick-borne diseases affecting dogs and cats, the warning signs to watch for, and how you can keep your furry family members safe year-round.

Ticks commonly found in Arkansas

Arkansas’s mild climate makes it an ideal environment for ticks, allowing several species to thrive throughout much of the year, including:

• The Lone Star tick (most common)
• The American dog tick
• The black-legged (deer) tick
• The brown dog tick

Ticks can transmit disease at any of their developmental stages—larva, nymph, or adult—if they are carrying an infectious organism. Because it’s impossible to tell whether a tick is carrying disease just by looking at it, every tick bite should be taken seriously.

When is a tick bite more than just a tick bite?

Most tick-borne diseases can’t spread directly from one pet to another or from pets to people. Instead, they are transmitted through the bite of an infected tick. Most tick-borne diseases also aren’t transmitted immediately after a tick attaches. In many cases, a tick must remain attached for several hours (sometimes 24 hours or longer) before disease transmission occurs. When a disease is transmitted, the first signs are often subtle and easy to overlook.

Common early signs include:

• Fever
• Lethargy
• Loss of appetite
• Limping or stiffness
• Swollen joints
• Vomiting or diarrhea

If your pet shows concerning signs and recent tick exposure is known or suspected, a vet visit, including screening for exposure to tick-borne diseases, is warranted. Because it can take weeks for some diseases to cause a positive test result, a negative result immediately after a bite might necessitate repeat testing, especially if symptoms persist.

Common tick-borne diseases

Ticks can transmit many different diseases to pets; here are some of the most common in our area.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever

• Cause: The bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii, transmitted by American dog ticks, brown dog ticks, and other tick species
• Effects: The bacteria damage blood vessels throughout the body, reducing blood flow to tissues and organs.
• Key signs: High fever, swollen limbs, eye inflammation, neurological changes, and bruising or pinpoint bleeding. Symptoms typically appear 2–14 days after a tick bite.
• Diagnosis: Evaluation of clinical signs and blood work to detect infection
• Treatment: Antibiotics are often started immediately since early treatment greatly improves outcomes.
• Prognosis: Good with early treatment, but the disease can become life-threatening if left untreated.

Ehrlichiosis

• Cause: Ehrlichia bacteria, transmitted primarily by Lone Star ticks and brown dog ticks.
• Effect: The bacteria infect white blood cells and can suppress bone marrow activity, leading to low blood cell and platelet counts.
• Key signs: Fever, lethargy, poor appetite, swollen lymph nodes, weight loss, nosebleeds, bruising, and eye inflammation. Symptoms usually appear 1–3 weeks after a bite from an infected tick, although chronic disease may not develop for months.
• Diagnosis: Evaluation of clinical signs, tick-borne disease screening tests, and blood work
• Treatment: Antibiotics are the primary treatment, along with supportive care in more severe cases.
• Prognosis: Excellent when treated early. Chronic infections may require more extensive treatment and can cause lasting health problems.

Lyme disease

• Cause: The bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, transmitted primarily by black-legged (deer) ticks
• Effect: The bacteria cause inflammation, especially in the joints. In rare cases, it can damage the kidneys, leading to Lyme nephritis. Although cats can become infected, they rarely develop clinical illness.
• Key signs: Shifting leg lameness, swollen joints, fever, and reluctance to run, jump, or climb stairs. Symptoms typically appear 2–5 months after an infected tick bite.
• Diagnosis: Evaluation of clinical signs, tick-borne disease screening tests, and blood work
• Treatment: Antibiotics, along with pain relief and anti-inflammatory medication if needed.
• Prognosis: Most pets recover well with prompt treatment, though some joint inflammation may persist.

 Anaplasmosis

• Cause: Anaplasma bacteria, transmitted by black-legged (deer) ticks and brown dog ticks
• Effect: The bacteria infect white blood cells and platelets, leading to inflammation throughout the body.
• Key signs: Fever, lethargy, decreased appetite, joint pain, stiffness, and limping. Symptoms usually develop 1–2 weeks after infection.
• Diagnosis: Evaluation of clinical signs, tick-borne disease screening tests, and blood work
• Treatment: Antibiotics are highly effective in most cases, along with supportive care when needed.
• Prognosis: Most pets recover quickly with early diagnosis and treatment.

Cytauxzoonosis (bobcat fever)

• Cause: The parasite Cytauxzoon felis, transmitted primarily by the Lone Star tick. Bobcats serve as the natural reservoir for the parasite, meaning they can carry and spread it without becoming seriously ill.
• Effect: Once inside a domestic cat, the parasite infects white blood cells, then red blood cells. This can cause blockage of small blood vessels throughout the body, reducing oxygen delivery to vital organs and potentially leading to multiple organ failure. Cytauxzoonosis only affects cats.
• Key signs: Sudden loss of appetite, extreme lethargy, high fever, hiding, difficulty breathing, pale or yellow gums, and rapid decline over only a few days. Symptoms typically develop 5–14 days after a bite from an infected tick.
• Diagnosis: Physical exam and blood work to diagnose infection
• Treatment: Cytauxzoonosis is a medical emergency. Treatment often requires hospitalization with antiparasitic medications, intravenous (IV) fluids, nutritional support, pain management, oxygen therapy, and other intensive supportive care.
• Prognosis: Cytauxzoonosis was once considered almost universally fatal in domestic cats. Fortunately, advances in treatment have significantly improved survival rates, especially when the disease is recognized early and aggressive treatment is started promptly. Even so, it remains one of the most serious tick-borne diseases affecting cats

How to protect your pet against ticks

The best way to protect your pet from tick-borne diseases is to use a veterinarian-recommended flea and tick preventive year-round. Even during the winter months, warmer days may allow ticks to remain active, so pausing prevention puts your pet at risk. Keep your yard well maintained with regular yard maintenance, and limit your pet’s access to heavily wooded or bushy areas. Keep cats indoors when possible, although even strictly indoor cats aren’t completely safe from ticks, which can hitch a ride indoors on dogs or people. Last but not least, keep up with your pet’s routine wellness visits and diagnostic screening tests.

What to do if you find a tick on your pet

A thorough tick check after any time spent outdoors should be part of your routine. Pay close attention to the ears, around the eyes, under the tail, between the toes, under the collar, and in the armpits and groin areas.

Should you happen to find a tick, follow these steps:

• Remove the tick quickly and calmly.
• Using fine-tipped tweezers or a specific tick-removal tool, gently but firmly grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible, then pull upward with steady, even pressure, making sure you don’t leave any part of the tick behind.
• Place the tick in a sealed container or zip-lock bag with a little rubbing alcohol in case you need to identify it later. Otherwise, wrap it tightly in tape and dispose of it in the trash.
• Avoid crushing the tick with your bare fingers or squeezing its body while it’s attached; either could expose you or your pet to disease-carrying organisms.
• Don’t attempt to remove the tick by covering it with petroleum jelly, nail polish, or kerosene, or by using a lit match to “force” it out. These methods are ineffective, may harm your pet, and can increase the risk of disease transmission.
• Monitor your pet closely for any new and sudden symptoms over the next month.
• If your pet develops a fever, stops eating, begins limping, seems unusually tired, or simply isn’t acting like themselves after a tick bite, contact your veterinarian promptly.

The bottom line

Ticks may be tiny, but the diseases they carry can become serious quickly. Whether you’ve found a tick on your pet or noticed concerning symptoms, Animal Urgent Care of Bentonville is here to help. Our team can provide prompt evaluation, diagnostic testing, and treatment when your pet needs it most.

If you have concerns about a recent tick bite or your pet is acting off, don’t wait. Contact Animal Urgent Care of Bentonville today—because when it comes to tick-borne diseases, early action can make all the difference.