The two-year-old dog became lethargic, thin and listless, deteriorating to the point that it was admitted to a pet hospital for a week for a blood transfusion.
“I was really worried about him,” Ms Powell, an enrolled nurse, said.
Testing confirmed Leo had ehrlichiosis, a disease transmitted through bites from brown dog ticks carrying the Ehrlichia canis bacteria.
But what worried the specialists is that Leo lives in the urban Top End, which some experts fear is becoming a new stronghold for a disease spreading like wildfire.
The first Australian case was detected in the Kimberley region of Western Australia in May last year.
By June, cases were rapidly emerging in Katherine in the Northern Territory and the surrounding remote communities.
The Northern Territory government has recorded 370 confirmed cases — 110 in the Darwin and Arnhem Land region, 149 in the Katherine region, 36 in Tennant Creek and in Alice Springs and surrounds, 75.
Experts say countless more have been left undetected in remote communities with little intervention.
“When we finally got to bring him home, [the vets] said he needs to stay inside, he’s at risk of spontaneous bleeding and he might not make it,” Ms Powell said.
“It was very full-on, very emotional.
“There were tears basically every night.”
Until the first cases were discovered just last year, stringent biosecurity controls had kept ehrlichiosis out of Australia.
Experts are still baffled by how the disease got in but, according to Professor Peter Irwin from the School of Veterinary Medicine at Murdoch University, the disease is now considered “endemic” across the NT.
“Ehrlichiosis is one of the most serious diseases of dogs in my opinion,” he said.
“It makes them very ill, and many dogs can die.
“Once it establishes into a tick population, it’s very difficult to eradicate.”
Common symptoms include lethargy, fever and cloudy eyes, which can be cleared up with antibiotics but, if left untreated, the disease can lead to blindness, uncontrollable bleeding and death.
“The problem with this disease is that dogs travel and spread infected ticks,” Professor Irwin said.
“Dogs that have moved from an endemic area of the community into the city will possibly bring ticks with them, and the ticks can then drop off.
“There have now been dogs with the disease identified in most other capitals, most as a result of travel from the north.”
Doctor Stephen Cutter, the head veterinarian at Darwin’s Ark Animal Hospital, is no stranger to the crippling disease.
He said up to 40 per cent of the dogs are infected in the remote communities of the Top End he visits on rotation.
But in August of last year, he saw his first case in a pet that had not left urban Darwin.
Arielle Giles, a vet at the Darwin Veterinary Hospital, confirmed the disease’s spread to Darwin, saying she had seen six cases in the past three months.
“It’s a devastatingly bad disease and it’s really difficult to treat,” Dr Cutter said.
“It’s basically everywhere and it’s now a matter of living with it.”
Both Professor Irwin and Dr Cutter said keeping ticks at bay is the best way to prevent ehrlichiosis.
“Because the infection is transmitted so quickly from the tick bites, the most important way of protecting your dog is to use a product, such as a collar that kills ticks before they bite,” Professor Irwin said.
It has now been five months since Leo was struck down by the tiny parasite and, while he is still getting regular check-ups and his future is looking brighter, vets can’t give the all-clear.
“Ehrlichiosis is really nasty in that it can stay hidden in the bone marrow for a long period of time,” Dr Cutter said.
Earlier this year, the NT government brought on a new coordinator to transition the NT’s response to the disease from a biosecurity threat to managing the outbreak.
“This disease is a nationally notifiable disease, which means that suspected cases of E.canis need to be reported, and free testing can be carried out on blood samples from suspected dogs,” said the chief vet at the Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade, Dr Sue Fitzpatrick.
“From Broken to Resilient: The Inspiring Journey of a Homeless Canine’s Healing and Redemption”.
“Unfolding the Chronicles with a Homeless Dog, a Trembling Soul Navigating the Harsh Realities of Life on the Streets. His spirit was broken, and his heart bore the invisible scars of abandonment and neglect. Fear had become his constant companion, and he sought refuge in the shadows of a world that had shown him little kindness.
But amidst the indifference of the world, there were those who saw the urgency of his situation. Compassionate individuals, driven by empathy and a deep love for animals, recognized the urgency of his plight. Their hearts ached at the sight of a dog so scarred and broken, and they endeavored to offer him a lifeline of hope.
The road to healing was a delicate mission, marked by patience and gentleness. The scarred homeless dog, initially wary and fearful of human contact, was approached with utmost care. It took time, but slowly, trust began to form between the dog and his newfound caretakers. Commissioned by passion and genuine concern, they worked tirelessly to offer him a lifeline of hope.
The journey to healing was a turbulent path, a trial by fire to transform the broken spirit. He was gradually coaxed away from the shadows that had been his refuge, and his heart began to thaw in the embrace of love and reassurance. With each passing day, his fear gave way to trust, and his wounded soul found solace in the silent gestures of compassion.
The pivotal moment of rescue was a triumphant point in the dog’s life. He was gently coaxed away from the haunting memories of his rough background, and he found himself enveloped in an atmosphere of care and belonging. With each passing day, his fear transformed into courage, and he began to blossom in the warmth of genuine affection and understanding.
The dog’s journey from a place of darkness to the embrace of light is a poignant reminder of the capacity for compassion and intervention, even in the face of overwhelming fear and despair. The scarred homeless dog, once abandoned and broken, became a beacon of resilience and hope.
This tale is a testament to the power of resilience in the face of adversity, a celebration of the indomitable spirit that, despite all odds, strives for love and redemption. It stands as a reminder that, even in the darkest corners of life, there is always room for a brighter tomorrow, fueled by love, compassion, and the unyielding spirit to overcome.”
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