New research has shown that dogs in the UK are being infected by tick-borne diseases which are more prevalent in international countries.
The study on 76 dogs, published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice, found that while some dogs were diagnosed with tick-borne diseases that are usually found in the UK, more than half of the dogs identified were infected with ehrlichiosis and canine babesiosis – diseases not currently established in the UK.
Most of these dogs had travelled to or from countries in continental Europe, where those diseases are well established, and so, would have contracted the disease abroad.
However, five dogs with diseases not currently established in the UK (ehrlichiosis or babesiosis) had not travelled abroad, and so, presumably became infected from a resident tick in the UK.
This suggests it’s possible that babesiosis and ehrlichiosis are becoming established in the UK.
In recent years, there has been a significant rise in dogs being imported into the UK from continental Europe.
With this creates the risk of dogs bringing novel tick-borne diseases into the UK, which can potentially enter the resident tick population, resulting in local disease transmission to UK dogs.
Dr Silvestrini, lead author of the study, said: “The increased travelling of dogs across countries and climate changes with progressively warmer temperatures, are favouring the transmission of vector-borne diseases in areas historically considered non-endemic, such as the UK.
“Vets and pet owners should consider these diseases as a potential risk and implement preventative treatments even in absence of travel abroad.”
Vets are advised to be vigilant to tick-borne diseases in dogs with compatible symptoms and laboratory findings, especially where the dog has been imported or travelled outside of the UK.
However, as local disease transmission can occur, the potential for tick-borne diseases should not be ruled out in dogs that have not travelled.
You can access the full study online.
The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has a collection of resources on ticks and tick-borne diseases, which can be found in the BSAVA Library. This also includes a Q&A for pet owners and clients that explains what ticks are, how to spot them and safely remove them and how to prevent associated diseases.
