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Cross-border bans proposed to slow spread of tick-borne disease Ehrlichiosis


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  • 2 weeks later...

That is interesting. It looks like they’re recommending tick collars and medicine like Bravecto/Nexguard. I guess as the latter doesn’t repel ticks but kills them after they’ve latched on? Not good for dogs who can’t wear tick collars due to medication interactions!

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  • 5 months later...

N.T.  Vet has issued another warning

 

 
considering the tick medications only work AFTER THE DOG is bitten it is going to be infected anyway. if you have a dog DONT go there. Would be far more effective in preventing carriers returning home to infect the local ticks and on to other dogs. dogs infected with heartworm were spread Australia wide after the cyclone in Darwin. now its endemic everywhere.
 
DOG DISEASE - EHRILICHIOSIS
Deadly dog disease 'explodes' across the north as the nomads return.
A veterinarian working across northern Australia has sounded a new alarm over what he calls "an explosion" of cases of the deadly dog disease ehrlichiosis.
Flying vet Campbell Costello said thousands of dogs had now died in the Northern Territory and more were dying daily.
"I am sick of looking at dead dogs, tell people down south they have no idea what is coming."
Ehrlichiosis is a disease spread by the common brown tick which was first discovered in northern Western Australia early last year.
Diseased dogs or ticks have since been found in Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia.
Dr Costello, from Outback and Airborne Veterinary Services currently based at the Barkly Veterinary Practice at Tennant Creek, said the re-opening of borders has seen the return of the grey nomads and other visitors for the dry season in the north.
He has already been called on to treat their dogs for ehrlichiosis infections, and keeps seeing a 80 per cent mortality rate.
"Little Fluffy in the back of the van is either going to die up here of be a carrier when they go back home."
Dr Campbell Costello working in a makeshift surgery trying to save yet another dog from a highly lethal new disease.
Dr Campbell Costello working in a makeshift surgery trying to save yet another dog from a highly lethal new disease.
Dr Costello said he was appalled there were no biosecurity road blocks for people travelling north to advise them of the outbreak, and warn dog owners to get two kinds of tick protection.
"It just shows you we were not ready for this, or for rabies or whatever else comes in," he said.
"We are getting crucified up here, we are snowed under ... 80 per cent of the dogs that come in have it.
"The official advice is that ehrlichiosis is well established but that's not right, it is endemic."
Dr Costello said the disease had not only decimated dog populations in remote communities but was killing backyard pets in urban areas as well.
"Cases are going to explode across Australia after this grey nomad season."
He said the only defence to ehrlichiosis was two forms of tick protection, there are no vaccines.
He said the chewable tablets people often believed provided adequate tick protection were not enough.
Cloudy eyes as the disease takes hold.
Cloudy eyes as the disease takes hold.
"That takes five hours to remove a tick, it is only taking 30 minutes to an hour for a tick to pass it on."
He said a repellent like a Pyrethrin collar was also needed.
"If you think you can just run your hands over your dog and find the ticks you can't.
"I have been a vet for 11 years and I still miss them."
He was alarmed there was not a greater public biosecurity alert about the disease.
"It has highlighted how underprepared we are when a new disease like this gets in."
 
May be an image of dog and outdoors
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  • 2 weeks later...

probably simpler to ban all dogs from entering the zone.   as well ban any dogs from going out of the area if infected.    But then I suppose people will scream they are being denied their freedom 

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