Ehrlichiosis is caused by a bacteria, Erhlichia canis, transmitted to dogs if they are bitten by an infected tick and reported occasionally in cats.

So far, ehrlichiosis, also known as canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME), has been reported in dogs in Western Australia and the Northern Territory. A dog diagnosed with CME in NSW is believed to have acquired it before travelling to NSW from the NT.

Signs of CME include lethargy, reduced appetite, bleeding from the nose, gum haemorrhages or bruising, enlarged lymph nodes, generalised pain or stiffness, difficulty in balancing, weight loss and seizures.

CME is diagnosed by veterinary examination and blood tests and the earlier infected animals are treated, the better the outcome. Treatment usually involves antibiotics and occasionally a short course of steroids.

While the brown dog tick, implicated in ehrlichiosis, is very common in the northern and north-western regions of Australia, people on the east coast are more familiar with the paralysis tick.

According to Professor Jan Slapeta, a veterinary parasitologist, the risk of a dog contracting CME on the east coast is currently very low, but recommends some form of tick prevention for all dogs to avoid tick-related diseases, because they can be life-threatening.

Pet owners should talk to their local vets to find out which tick species occur in their area, and what the best preventatives are. It is also important to read labels carefully, as some products are active against different tick species for different periods of time.

As with many diseases, prevention is better than cure.

Tick products fall into two major categories: those that require a tick to feed on a dog prior to killing the tick, and those that repel ticks before they can bite. In high-risk areas in the NT and WA, owners are encouraged to use both products.

Professor Slapeta also said travellers to these areas should ensure dogs were on the right prevention to repel brown dog ticks.

In areas where the brown dog tick does not occur, he recommends a single product such as a collar, tablet, spot-on or chew, that is registered to kill paralysis ticks.

"The risk of tick paralysis on the eastern coast of Australia is very high," he said.

If you find a tick on your dog, it can be removed using a "tick twister" (available from vets and pet stores), then taken to a vet for identification or squashed to ensure they don't attach to another animal.

Dr Anne Quain BVSc (Hons), MANZCVS (Animal Welfare), Dip ECAWBM (AWSEL) is a lecturer at the Sydney School of Veterinary Science and a practising veterinarian.