Subject: Pets and tick-borne disease in the Bahamas
Cruising News: Since we arrived in Long Island and later in Georgetown, I’ve been made aware that there is an outbreak of a tick-borne disease called Ehrlichiosis in pets. It’s carried by the brown dog tick and can be very
serious and/or fatal. If you’re cruising with a dog that you let run ashore, make sure you are using sufficient deterents for ticks and check your dog frequently for ticks. The symptoms of the disease are loss of appetite, high
fever and lameness. Diagnosis is done via a blood test. Treatment includes a dose of antibiotics but once infected, the disease can resurface. The vet in Georgetown has treated several dogs and is very helpful. Please take care…
Harriet Hardy