Can anyone advise us on Ehrlichiosis?

Hi

This is the first time I've written to the Think Tank and hope people can help. I have a nine-year-old GSD who takes 5mg prednisilone twice daily and 50mg tramadol twice daily for pain in his back. He has always suffered with spinal problems and had a disc removed when he was two. Despite this he has always been big, bouncy and loud! He eats well and loves to play tennis ball.

In 2009 we moved to Spain and despite being regularly Frontlined, Yassko developed Ehrlichiosis, which is a tick born disease found in the Mediterranean. He was diagnosed at Christmas time and given four weeks of doxiciclina antibiotics. Another blood test showed he was clear. We recently visited the UK and saw our usual vet who was as concerned as we were with his general scruffy appearance, weight loss and nose bleeds and general lack of energy. He looks like he is depressed. He had raging bloody diarrhoea in the UK and had to have antibiotics. His blood tests show his liver levels are rising.

Back in Spain the vet here did blood tests which show he has anaemia and his liver levels are still rising. A scan shows pain in the pancreas and enlarged liver and spleen. She wants us to reduce his steroids and tramadol, which I am reluctant to do as we have seen the effects this has on his back and skin. He is on vitamin B once a day, doxciclina twice a day, and 225mg destolit for his liver twice a day. I've ordered some denamrin from the internet and have been feeding him extra pasta, rice and potato with his James Wellbeloved dried food as advised by our UK vet.

Does anyone have any experience of this disease and what is the likely prognosis? It is not nice to see our big boy wasting before our eyes. He is still eating well, has normal stools and is trying to play on occasion so I guess that's a good sign.

Wendy Halling, by email