New deadly tick-borne dog disease is on the move While we continue to be occupied with the COVID pandemic, another life-threatening disease has emerged in northern Australia, one that's cause for considerable alarm for the millions of dog owners around the country. This disease — canine ehrlichiosis — is transmitted through the bite of a bacterium-carrying parasite called the "brown dog tick". This vector parasite is widespread in warm and humid areas of Australia, and its bite can be potentially fatal for dogs. Until the first cases were recently discovered last May, Australia was considered free of the disease. However, more than 300 dogs in Western Australian and the Northern Territory have now tested positive for it. There have also been reports, from veterinary workers in the field, of dogs dying without being tested or treated.