Chronic Kidney Disease Risks in Dogs Exposed to Ticks

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.