Symptoms of Tick Fever in a Yorkie

Tick fever is the common name for a disease called ehrlichiosis. It is caused by a microscopic parasite called a rickettsiae that is spread through the bite of the brown dog tick. The parasite attacks the Yorkie's bone marrow, where blood cells are made. The disease has three stages: acute, sub-clinical and clinical/chronic. Each stage has a variable length, and some dogs stay in the sub-clinical stage through their entire lives.

  1. Acute Stage Symptoms

    • Early symptoms in Yorkies include fever, loss of appetite and weight loss, lower blood platelet counts, swollen lymph nodes, respiratory problems, blood clotting problems, and neurological issues. These symptoms last from two to four weeks before disappearing.

    Sub-Clinical Stage Symptoms

    • Your Yorkie will not have any outward signs of the disease, but will still have internal symptoms such as lower blood cell count. They can still transmit the disease if bitten by a brown dog tick that then bites another dog. A blood test is required to diagnose tick fever in this stage. It can last for years, and some dogs can eliminate the parasite naturally and never get to the third stage.

    Clinical/Chronic Stage Symptoms

    • The clinical/chronic stage of the disease sees the return of the symptoms from the acute stage, and a host of new problems. Eye problems such as hemorrhages in the Yorkie's eyes, lameness from swollen lymph nodes in the legs, severe anemia, hemophilia, and severe neurological problems can be seen. Severely effected dogs can die from this disease.

    What To Do When Symptoms Appear

    • Since the disease can avoid detection for long periods of time during the sub-clinical stage, you should talk to a veterinarian as soon as symptoms of the acute stage appear. Even if the Yorkie seems to get better on its own, the parasite can still be hiding in the dog's body, and the symptoms of the clinical/chronic stage can appear at any time. Have your Yorkie's blood tested within two months when you find an engorged tick on the body.