To be diagnosed with ehrlichiosis is likely to be considered a death sentence, but for a Northern Territory dog, she's one of the lucky ones.

DaisyMay, of Katherine, was diagnosed with the deadly tick-borne disease in March after owner and long-time Katherine resident, Mary Moloney noticed a change in her pet's breathing, a sudden runny nose and loss of appetite.

"Her breathing was the most noticeable, it was frightening. It was fast and pressured. She was very frightened and sad looking," Mary said.

The pitbull cross, who Mary describes as 'one of the most gentle dogs' she ever had, was taken to the vet immediately where her ehrlichiosis diagnosis was confirmed.

"A simple blood test confirmed it, and we had a diagnosis during the consultation. It was very simple and non-intrusive," Mary said.

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Following the diagnosis, DaisyMay went on antibiotics for a month, ingesting four tablets a day, and has now made a full recovery.

"I honestly thought she was not going to live. The first two nights were a worry, but on the third day of antibiotics you could see a remarkable change in her as she began wagging her tail," Mary said.

"My other two dogs Frankie and Margo have not been impacted too much, although likely to also have gotten the disease, thankfully with none of DaisyMay's symptoms.

"It is unfortunate that since DaisyMay's recovery, she did get a thirst for eating hens and ducks with our flock reduced to just one hen and two ducks."

Mary has encouraged fellow dog owners to put preventative measures in place immediately to limit their chance of suffering ehrlichiosis.

"Get tick and flea protection, the earlier you respond to changes in your dogs behaviour, mood and energy the better. Ring your vet, voice your concern and get the treatment," she said.

"Paying vet bills can be a worry, thankfully our vet has VetPay, ZipPay and I think Afterpay which really does lighten the financial burden."

Symptoms of ehrlichiosis include:

Advice for dog owners, as suggested by the National Pest and Disease Outbreaks website:

If your dog is showing any symptoms of ehrlichiosis, contact your vet immediately.