By Dr. William K. Fauks

You’d think that after spending hundreds of millions of dollars on flea and tick control products each year in the U.S. that we’d have the dreaded little rascals pretty well eliminated by now, right? Wrong! Not even close. Ditto for mosquitoes. All three are as abundant as ever.

These disgusting and miserable bugs are not simply an itchy annoyance to our pets (and to us at times), they’re also the intermediate hosts, or transmission agents, for a wide range of serious canine diseases, some of which can be fatal.

With limited space here, allow me to briefly describe but a few of these diseases — some you are probably familiar with, others may appear foreign.

• Heartworm disease: Caused by a specific strain of female mosquito that injects microscopic organisms into a susceptible dog. Little or no symptoms appear in the early stage, but as the disease progresses, infected dogs present with coughing, shortness of breath and exercise intolerance. Severe infestations can cause heart failure and death. Treatment is expensive and slightly risky. Prevention is simple and affordable.

• West Nile Virus infection: Mosquitoes feed on birds that carry the virus, then transmit the virus to several susceptible animals including dogs, horses and humans. There is no specific therapy for WNV in dogs other than managing the symptoms. Full recovery is likely.

• Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever: Transmitted principally by two tick strains that carry and disseminate a microscopic organism called rickettsia. These two culprits are the Rocky Mountain wood tick and the common American dog tick; each with the capability to transfer the infective rickettsia while feeding on an unlucky dog. Symptoms include neurological involvement, gangrene of the extremities and depletion of the animal’s blood clotting mechanism. Antibiotics and appropriate supportive therapy comprise treatment protocol.

• Lyme disease: Named after a town, Lyme, Conn., where it was first discovered, LD is caused by a bacteria called Bonelia burgdorfen. At least three known species of ticks harbor and transmit the bacteria; the majority of transmissions are due to the bite of a tiny tick commonly called the deer tick. LD has been reported in every American state and is often referred to as “The Great Imitator” because it is often mistakenly diagnosed when another disorder is actually present. This disease usually responds well to antibiotics and supportive therapy. A preventive vaccine is available for use in endemic areas.

• Tapeworms: A common problem in dogs — one that would not exist without the presence of fleas. The flea ingests macroscopic tapeworm eggs, processes them, then passes said eggs to dogs who swallows the fleas during grooming. Not life-threatening, but troublesome to the G.I. tract. Easily treated with proper tapeworm medication. Prevention is by flea eradication.

• Tick paralysis: Transmitted by three tick strains, TP is caused by a toxic substance in the ticks’ saliva that is injected into a dog’s bloodstream during a prolonged attachment and feeding process. Can cause death by paralyzing the respiratory muscles.

• Canine Ehrlichiosis: Fairly common in heavily tick infested areas. There is no preventive vaccine. Appears in both acute and chronic form. A devastating and life-threatening disease. CE is transmitted by three known tick strains wherein the tick becomes infected while feeding on an infected dog, then passes the disease to a susceptible dog. CE responds well to proper veterinary therapy if diagnosed and treated early on.

DR. WILLIAM K. FAUKS is a retired Oklahoma City veterinarian.