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Infectious arthritis in dogs
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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Infectious diseases can cause arthritis. Rickettsial arthritis occurs with Rocky Mountain spotted fever and canine ehrlichiosis, and spirochetal arthritis occurs with Lyme disease. (All of these diseases are transmitted by ticks.) Fungal arthritis is a rare complication of systemic fungal infection.
Treatment: Most tick-borne diseases respond to treatment with doxycycline or tetracycline. In some dogs, joint involvement is permanent.
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