05/09/2025
Uncovering a New Tick-Borne Threat to Dogs
3 min read ● September 2, 2025
In 2019, researchers at NC State University’s Vector-Borne Disease Lab made an unexpected find: a previously unknown species of Rickettsia detected in a dog’s blood. Rickettsia is part of the bacterial group that causes spotted fever diseases, including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, one of the most serious tick-borne illnesses in the United States.
“When we identify a new organism, we immediately contact the veterinarian who sent us the sample to learn more about the dog’s condition,” explained Dr. Barbara Qurollo, lead investigator on the project. Soon, multiple dogs were reported sick with fever and dangerously low platelets, putting them at risk for bleeding and echoing Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
Until this point, only one Rickettsia species was thought to cause this illness in dogs. The findings suggested that dogs were facing a new, previously unidentified infection. (to read the full article...)
A Surprising Discovery In 2019, researchers at NC State University’s Vector-Borne Disease Lab made an unexpected find: a previously unknown species of Rickettsia detected in a dog’s blood. Rickettsia is part of the bacterial group that causes spotted fever diseases, including Rocky Mountain Spot...
