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Mediterranean regions may pose an infection risk for your dog.
Before setting off on a holiday with your furry friend, dog owners should inform themselves about the significant topic of Mediterranean diseases in dogs. A holiday may be delightful, but it can spell bad news for your dog. Here you’ll find the most important information on Mediterranean diseases in dogs.
These refer to a variety of illnesses that dogs can contract mainly in the regions around the Mediterranean.
The transmission of Mediterranean diseases typically occurs through mosquito bites or ticks, with affected dogs often showing the first signs of illness several months after infection.
In which regions is there a risk of disease?
The specific risk area depends on the pathogen. However, the most commonly affected countries include popular holiday destinations such as:
France
Greece
Italy
Portugal
Romania
Spain
Southern France
Turkey
Hungary
Due to global warming, Mediterranean diseases are increasingly showing up in Central European countries such as Germany.
How dangerous are Mediterranean diseases in dogs?
The treatment and prognosis depend on the pathogen – not every Mediterranean disease in dogs is equally dangerous.
While some only cause mild symptoms and can be well managed with medication, others may create a life-threatening situation for your dog.
For this reason, it’s crucial to inform yourself about these travel-related illnesses before taking your dog to an affected area on holiday.
Are Mediterranean diseases in dogs contagious to humans?
If your dog contracts a Mediterranean disease, it might pose a risk to other dogs or humans. Whether or not it might be contagious generally, you can see in the following table:
Disease
Other Dogs
Humans
Babesiosis
yes, but rarely (transmission via injury, in utero, or blood transfusion)
no
Lyme disease
no
no
Dirofilariasis (Heartworm)
no
no
Hepatozoonosis
no
no
Leishmaniasis
yes (via injury)
yes (via injury)
Note: If your dog is contagious, you can get appropriate safety advice from your vet.
Mediterranean diseases can be transmitted by ticks and mosquitoes.
At a glance: What Mediterranean diseases in dogs are there?
To ensure your dog stays healthy on your next trip, here’s an overview of the key Mediterranean diseases in dogs:
Babesiosis
The Babesiosis is a dangerous infectious disease in dogs caused by the protozoan Babesia. Infection occurs through ticks, making proper tick prophylaxis central to prevention.
Since the symptoms of Babesiosis are similar to malaria (fever, weakness, oedema), the disease is also known as “canine malaria”.
Occurrence: Worldwide in warmer areas, increasingly also the Balkans and Central Europe
Lyme Disease
The tick-borne Mediterranean disease Lyme disease is becoming more frequent in Central Europe. If your dog is infected with Borreliosis, it may show symptoms like fever or fatigue. However, severe joint inflammation may develop as the disease progresses.
Since the pathogens are bacteria, Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics if detected early.
Distribution: Central Europe
Dirofilariasis (Heartworm)
Your dog can become infected with heartworms (Dirofilaria) through mosquito bites. These are worms that lodge in various tissues – including the heart.
In most cases, dogs with heartworms have mild coughs. Depending on the severity of the infestation and the size of the worms, specific medication or surgery may be suitable for treatment.
Distribution: Mediterranean region, North Africa, Southern Europe, with possible increase in Central Europe
Ehrlichiosis
Your dog can contract Ehrlichiosis if infected with the single-celled bacterium Rickettsia. Transmission occurs through ticks, rarely through blood transfusion.
The clinical signs depend on your dog’s underlying conditions. In dogs with pre-existing conditions, the infectious disease can be fatal, especially if left untreated.
Distribution: Entire Mediterranean region
Hepatozoonosis
By swallowing an infested brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) (rarely other species), your dog can become infected with Hepatozoonosis. Young and already compromised dogs are particularly susceptible.
If the causative protozoa enter the bloodstream and other organs through the intestine, they can cause severe damage. Typical signs include fever and muscle weakness, but also bloody diarrhoea.
Distribution: Canary Islands, Southern and Central Spain and Portugal (less common in France, Greece, and Italy)
Leishmaniasis
Leishmaniasis is considered one of the most significant Mediterranean diseases in dogs. Transmission of the pathogen Leishmania infantum can occur in endemic areas through the bite of the sand fly.
Since the incubation period (time from infection to onset of disease) can last up to six months, sick dogs usually only show the first symptoms some time after the holiday. Moreover, these symptoms differ from dog to dog. Most dogs lose weight and have swollen lymph nodes. Skin inflammations and kidney problems also occur more frequently.
Although a cure is not possible, there are various treatment options. However, these must be administered for life, making therapy costly in the long run.
Distribution: Mediterranean region, North Africa, Southern Europe
Before setting off on a trip, make sure you take all the necessary steps to protect your dog from Mediterranean diseases.
Diagnosis: When is a test for Mediterranean diseases in dogs sensible?
If you have adopted a dog from a risk area or have been on holiday in such a region with your dog and it shows suspicious symptoms days or weeks later, it’s advisable to visit your vet.
They can conduct suitable tests to determine if your dog has a travel-related illness. In many cases, these include antibody tests, as the time of infection is often not precisely known.
When is each test appropriate?
Which test makes sense and when it can be performed depends on the type of Mediterranean disease and the possible time of infection.
For example, acute Lyme disease (infection less than two weeks ago) can be detected by a blood test followed by microscopy or a PCR test.
A serological antibody test, on the other hand, is suitable for detecting a chronic infection (infection over two weeks ago).
How costly is a test for Mediterranean diseases in dogs?
The cost of a test for Mediterranean diseases in dogs largely depends on how many diseases you want to cover with the test. In addition, the costs can also vary according to the local fee schedule.
Prevention: How do I protect my dog from Mediterranean diseases?
To protect your dog from Mediterranean diseases, make sure to inform yourself before every holiday whether the destination poses an infection risk for your dog. Besides the usual precautions, such as checking your dog after walkies, you can also consider the following protective measures:
1. Vaccinations
Vaccines are available against some Mediterranean diseases (for example, Babesiosis, Lyme disease, Leishmaniasis) in dogs – but the authorisation depends on the country. Therefore, seek advice from your vet well before your trip regarding which vaccination is suitable and wise for your dog.
2. Antibiotics
Even if your dog has already overcome a Mediterranean disease, it is not necessarily protected from reinfection in some cases. Therefore, ask your vet about appropriate protection against bacteria and parasites.
Antibiotics are generally effective against bacteria. However, preventive administration of these medications is generally not recommended as it can lead to the development of resistance.
3. Antiparasitics
Whether collar, tablet, or spot-on – various active ingredients and application forms on the market protect against parasite infestation.
This article from zooplus Magazine is purely informative. If your pet is experiencing discomfort, contact your veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment.
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Franziska G., Veterinarian
At the Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen I was extensively trained as a veterinarian and was able to gain experience in various fields such as small animal, large animal and exotic animal medicine as well as pharmacology, pathology and food hygiene.
Since then, I have been working not only as a veterinary author, but also on my scientifically driven dissertation. My goal is to better protect animals from pathogenic bacterial organisms in the future.
Besides my veterinary knowledge, I also share my own experiences as a happy dog owner and can thus understand and enlighten fears and problems as well as other important questions about animal health.
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