What Are Tick-Borne Diseases in Dogs?

If your dog has been in tall grass, wooded trails, or leaf litter recently and now seems off, a tick bite is worth considering. Tick-borne diseases can take weeks or months to show symptoms, and early treatment makes a real difference.

Here’s a clear, honest breakdown of the tick-borne diseases most likely to affect your dog, what symptoms to look for, and what you can actually do about it.

The six tick-borne diseases every dog owner should know

The diseases ticks carry vary quite a bit depending on where you live and which tick species are common in your area. Here’s what you need to know about the big six.

Lyme disease in dogs

Lyme disease is the most well-known tick-borne illness in the US. It’s transmitted by the black-legged tick (also called the deer tick) and is most common in the Northeast, upper Midwest, and Pacific Coast, though its range is expanding. Symptoms typically take two to five months to appear after a bite, which is part of what makes it tricky to catch early. Watch for lameness that shifts between legs, joint swelling, fever, and lethargy. Left untreated, Lyme can cause kidney damage.

Ehrlichiosis in dogs

Ehrlichiosis is caused by bacteria that infect white blood cells, the cells your dog’s immune system uses to fight off illness. It’s spread mainly by the brown dog tick and the lone star tick, and it’s most common across the South and Southeast. Symptoms include fever, loss of appetite, discharge from the eyes or nose, and swollen lymph nodes. In severe or chronic cases, it can cause dangerous drops in blood cell counts.

Anaplasmosis in dogs

Anaplasmosis also targets blood cells, but it comes in two forms: one that attacks white blood cells and one that attacks platelets (the cells that help blood clot). Both forms are spread by the same black-legged tick that carries Lyme disease, so your dog can actually be infected with both at the same time. Signs include lethargy, joint pain, vomiting, and in platelet-form cases, unusual bleeding or bruising.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever in dogs

Despite the name, Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is most common in the South Atlantic states, Oklahoma, and parts of the Midwest. It moves fast and can be fatal if not treated quickly. An estimated 1–10% of infected dogs have a fatal outcome even with treatment, so speed matters here more than with any other tick-borne disease. It’s spread by the American dog tick, Rocky Mountain wood tick, Lone Star tick, and brown dog tick. Symptoms come on suddenly: high fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, and sometimes a rash or swelling of the face and legs. This is a call-your-vet-today situation.

Babesiosis in dogs

Babesiosis is caused by a parasite that invades and destroys red blood cells, leading to anemia (a shortage of red blood cells that carry oxygen through the body). It’s transmitted by the American dog tick and the brown dog tick. Symptoms include pale gums, weakness, dark-colored urine, and fever. Severe cases can require hospitalization and, in some situations, a blood transfusion.

Hepatozoonosis in dogs

Hepatozoonosis is different from the others: your dog doesn’t get it from a tick bite. They get it by eating an infected tick, which can happen during grooming. It’s caused by a parasite that affects the muscles and bones, and it’s most common in the Gulf Coast states. Symptoms include muscle pain, fever, eye discharge, and wasting (gradual muscle loss over time). There’s no cure, but the disease can be managed long-term with medication.

Symptoms to watch for after a tick bite

Tick-borne disease symptoms in dogs can look a lot like other illnesses, which is why knowing your dog’s normal baseline matters so much. The signs vary depending on the disease, but these are the ones that should prompt a vet call, especially if your dog has recently been in tick-heavy areas or you’ve found a tick on them:

• Fever: often one of the first signs. Your dog may feel warm to the touch or seem uncomfortable in a way you can’t quite place.
• Lethargy: noticeably low energy, reluctance to play, or skipping walks they’d normally enjoy.
• Joint pain or lameness: limping, stiffness, or reluctance to bear weight on one or more legs. With Lyme disease, the lameness can shift from leg to leg.
• Loss of appetite: skipping meals or eating much less than usual.
• Swollen lymph nodes: lumps under the jaw, behind the knees, or in the armpits.
• Unusual bleeding or bruising: nosebleeds, blood in urine, or bruising without injury. This points toward anaplasmosis or babesiosis affecting platelet levels.
• Pale or yellowish gums: a sign of anemia or liver involvement, more common with babesiosis.
• Eye or nose discharge: more commonly seen with ehrlichiosis.

If you’re seeing more than one of these signs, don’t wait it out. Call your vet and mention any known tick exposure or recent time outdoors in wooded or grassy areas.

How vets diagnose tick-borne diseases in dogs

Your vet will start with a physical exam and ask about your dog’s recent activity, any known tick exposure, and how long symptoms have been present. From there, they’ll likely run:

• A blood panel: checks red and white blood cell counts and platelet levels, which can flag infection, anemia, or clotting problems
• A tick disease panel: a blood test that screens for antibodies (proteins your dog’s immune system makes in response to infection) to several tick-borne diseases at once. This is more useful than testing for a single disease, since co-infections are common
• Urine analysis or organ function panels: if kidney or liver involvement is suspected, particularly with Lyme disease or RMSF
• Additional imaging: if a specific organ complication is being evaluated

One thing worth knowing: antibody tests can sometimes return negative results early in an infection, before your dog’s immune system has had time to mount a full response. If symptoms are strong and tick exposure is confirmed, your vet may treat based on clinical signs while waiting for results.

What tick-borne disease treatment actually costs

Here’s a realistic picture of what you might spend:

• Initial vet visit and exam: $50–$100
• Blood panel and tick disease testing: $100–$300 depending on the tests ordered
• Doxycycline for a 28–30 day course: $30–$80 for most dogs
• Follow-up visits and repeat bloodwork: $100–$200
• Hospitalization (for severe RMSF or babesiosis): $500–$2,000+
• Blood transfusion (rare, for severe babesiosis): $500–$1,500+

For a dog caught early with a straightforward case of Lyme or anaplasmosis, you’re often looking at $300–$500 total. For a dog with a more aggressive disease like RMSF or babesiosis, or one whose illness went unnoticed for a while, costs can climb quickly. Hepatozoonosis is an ongoing management situation rather than a single course of treatment, so costs accumulate over time.

Tick prevention for dogs: the only strategy that really works

There’s no vaccine that covers all tick-borne diseases. There is a Lyme vaccine for dogs, which your vet may recommend depending on your location and your dog’s risk level. But the most reliable protection is a combination of approaches:

• Year-round tick prevention medication: oral or topical products prescribed or recommended by your vet. These work by killing ticks before they can transmit disease, typically within 24–48 hours of contact. Talk to your vet about which product is right for your dog’s size, age, and lifestyle.
• Tick checks after outdoor time: run your hands through your dog’s coat after every walk or outdoor session, paying attention to ears, between toes, around the collar, and under the tail.
• Prompt tick removal: if you find a tick, use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp it as close to the skin as possible and pull straight out with steady pressure. Don’t twist, squeeze, or apply heat. Clean the area with alcohol afterward and note the date you found it.
• Yard management: keep grass trimmed, clear leaf litter, and consider tick-control treatments for your yard if you live in a tick-endemic area.

Tick season peaks in spring and fall, but in many parts of the US, especially in the South and along the coasts, ticks are active year-round. Year-round prevention is the smartest move regardless of where you live.

Does pet insurance cover tick-borne diseases?

Lemonade Pet insurance can help cover vet exams, diagnostic testing, medications, and hospitalization for tick-borne illnesses like Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and babesiosis, as long as the condition isn’t pre-existing and the 14-day illness waiting period has passed.

One thing worth knowing for Lyme disease specifically: if your vet recommended the Lyme vaccine and it wasn’t administered, a resulting claim may be denied as a preventable condition. If you’re in a high-risk area and your vet has brought it up, following that recommendation protects both your dog and your coverage.

For tick preventatives, coverage depends on your Preventative Care add-on. The Core add-on covers wellness exams, vaccines, and testing, but not flea, tick, or heartworm medications. The Enhanced add-on does. If preventative medication coverage matters to you, it’s worth checking which one your policy includes.

As with any condition, getting a policy in place while your dog is healthy is what makes it genuinely useful when something comes up.

Before we go

Finding a tick on your dog is unsettling, and watching them seem off in the days or weeks that follow is worse. But tick-borne diseases are very treatable when caught early, and the combination of year-round prevention, regular tick checks, and knowing your dog’s normal behavior gives you a real edge. If something feels off after tick exposure or time spent outdoors, trust your instincts and call your vet. Early treatment is better for your dog and significantly less expensive. And if you haven’t looked into pet insurance yet, it’s worth doing before tick season is already underway.

Frequently Asked Questions

A few quick words, because we <3 our lawyers: This post is general in nature, and any statement in it doesn’t alter the terms, conditions, exclusions, or limitations of the policies issued, which differ according to your state of residence. You’re encouraged to discuss your specific circumstances with your own professional advisors. The purpose of this post is merely to provide you with info and insights you can use to make such discussions more productive! Naturally, all comments by, or references to, third parties represent their own views, and Lemonade assumes no responsibility for them. Coverage may not be available in all states. Please note that statements about coverages, policy management, claims processes, Giveback, and customer support apply to policies underwritten by Lemonade Insurance Company or Metromile Insurance Company, a Lemonade company, sold by Lemonade Insurance Agency, LLC.  The statements do not apply to policies underwritten by other carriers.