Chronic Kidney Disease Risks in Dogs Exposed to Ticks
Dogs exposed to ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi or exposed to ehrlichiosis have an increased risk of developing chronic kidney disease.
In a recent big data analysis of more 800,000 dogs conducted by IDEXX Reference Laboratories, it was discovered that dogs exposed to ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi have a 43% increased risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD). Additionally, dogs that are exposed to ehrlichiosis have a 300% increased risk of developing CKD.
With these statistics in mind, Jennifer Ogeer, DVM, MSc, MBA, MA, medical affairs marketing manager for IDEXX, says that veterinarians should run a complete blood count, a chemistry panel with IDEXX SDMA testing, and urinalysis to determine if a patient is at an increased risk of developing CKD and identify CKD early.
