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Tick Tock: tips for tick prevention
15/04/24
Despite ticks being a year-round threat, we are now entering what is commonly known as “tick season”. Once the temperature is above 4°C a tick can become active and with a warming climate, there are heightening tickborne pathogen disease risks in the UK and Europe (Loeb, 2021).
Ticks are the nightmare of almost any pet owner and vet teams should play their part in educating clients about prevention. These tiny little parasitic arachnids are 3 to 5mm in length depending on age, species, sex and how full they are (Figure 1). They can carry with them a variety of diseases and although some dogs will experience no aftereffects of being bitten, for others an encounter with one can be very debilitating and even fatal.
[Ticks] can carry with them a variety of diseases and although some dogs will experience no aftereffects of being bitten, for others an encounter with one can be very debilitating and even fatal
Prevention is key
Prevention against tick attacks is as important as their quick and safe removal. A tick needs to be attached to their host for a period of around 24 hours before any disease can be transmitted. This is why constant vigilance and checking are so important. Persistent grooming and washing (before and after walks) are essential in tick prevention. Also, once the animal is washed, applying medicated, preventative treatments can also act as a further aid.Tick removal
Despite all these specialist measures, a tick may still find its way onto your animal. In this instance fast, efficient and safe removal are vital. One of the best ways to do this is by using Tick Twister® tick removers (Figure 2). The prongs of the Tick Twister® are slid either side of the uninvited pest, while keeping it as close to the skin as possible. Now, contrary to a popular myth that is doing the rounds, there is no right or wrong way to remove a tick. Right-handed, left-handed – it does not matter. Go whichever direction you feel comfortable in. Just ensure that there is no direct pressure being placed onto the tick. This will result in the tick regurgitating its stomach contents into its hosts bloodstream, significantly increasing the risk of infection.
Tick Twister® products come in a variety of sizes, meaning that all variations of tick can be easily and safely removed. There is now a set specifically designed for use on humans. There is the large for a full-grown adult tick, the small for a regular sized adult tick and the brand-new micro which can be used to remove larva and nymph. This new Tick Twister® is very important as studies show that ticks in the nymph stage are responsible for the highest percentage of disease transmission in humans because they are small, hard to detect and active during spring and summer, a period that concurs with the highest human outdoor activity (Rochlin and Toledo, 2020). Nymphs are difficult to spot and therefore patients are often not even aware of a tick bite before getting sick. It has been reported that a nymph will begin to transfer bacteria in under 24 hours from the first latch (Institute Pasteur, 2018).
At this point it is worth mentioning that much of the onus in overseas tick prevention must be placed on the owner. They need to be advised to take all the precautionary steps necessary, to ensure that the risk of any new species of tick entering the country is minimised. Should they either be on holiday or recently returned and find a tick, once it has safely been removed, a photograph should be taken to assist in its identification and any potential treatment the animal requires in the future. These photographs (or the tick itself when possible) can be sent to the Tick Surveillance Scheme (TSS) for identification and then added to their database.
One of the more dangerous ticks lurking on the continent is the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus), which at present is non-native to the UK. This species can carry the disease ehrlichiosis, mostly prevalent in dogs. Symptoms include swollen lymph nodes, weight loss and respiratory distress, to name but a few.
Studies show that ticks in the nymph stage are responsible for the highest percentage of disease transmission in humans because they are small, hard to detect and active during spring and summer
Another handy tip is that once removed, place the tick into a plastic bag and freeze it immediately for approximately 4 weeks. Should your patient become unwell after the tick’s removal, you can then take the frozen specimen to the Practice for testing, enhancing the chance of a positive diagnosis.Travelling pets
A further tick-related risk is travel – both UK-based animals travelling abroad and those from overseas arriving on UK shores and potentially bringing with them a brand new species of tick. It is entirely possible that a UK-based dog carrying a native tick can return from holiday carrying a new pathogen.At this point it is worth mentioning that much of the onus in overseas tick prevention must be placed on the owner. They need to be advised to take all the precautionary steps necessary, to ensure that the risk of any new species of tick entering the country is minimised. Should they either be on holiday or recently returned and find a tick, once it has safely been removed, a photograph should be taken to assist in its identification and any potential treatment the animal requires in the future. These photographs (or the tick itself when possible) can be sent to the Tick Surveillance Scheme (TSS) for identification and then added to their database.
One of the more dangerous ticks lurking on the continent is the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus), which at present is non-native to the UK. This species can carry the disease ehrlichiosis, mostly prevalent in dogs. Symptoms include swollen lymph nodes, weight loss and respiratory distress, to name but a few.
Final thoughts
It would be best practice to advise your clients to groom and wash their pet on a regular basis, using the correct preventative treatments. Should a tick be located, remove it quickly and safely using Tick Twister®. You can download a printable PDF poster of the O’Tom Tick Twister for your practice here and more downloadable information on the product is available here.
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Tick Tock: tips for tick prevention
15/04/24
Despite ticks being a year-round threat, we are now entering what is commonly known as “tick season”. Once the temperature is above 4°C a tick can become active and with a warming climate, there are heightening tickborne pathogen disease risks in the UK and Europe (Loeb, 2021).
Ticks are the nightmare of almost any pet owner and vet teams should play their part in educating clients about prevention. These tiny little parasitic arachnids are 3 to 5mm in length depending on age, species, sex and how full they are (Figure 1). They can carry with them a variety of diseases and although some dogs will experience no aftereffects of being bitten, for others an encounter with one can be very debilitating and even fatal.
[Ticks] can carry with them a variety of diseases and although some dogs will experience no aftereffects of being bitten, for others an encounter with one can be very debilitating and even fatal
Prevention is key
Prevention against tick attacks is as important as their quick and safe removal. A tick needs to be attached to their host for a period of around 24 hours before any disease can be transmitted. This is why constant vigilance and checking are so important. Persistent grooming and washing (before and after walks) are essential in tick prevention. Also, once the animal is washed, applying medicated, preventative treatments can also act as a further aid.Tick removal
Despite all these specialist measures, a tick may still find its way onto your animal. In this instance fast, efficient and safe removal are vital. One of the best ways to do this is by using Tick Twister® tick removers (Figure 2). The prongs of the Tick Twister® are slid either side of the uninvited pest, while keeping it as close to the skin as possible. Now, contrary to a popular myth that is doing the rounds, there is no right or wrong way to remove a tick. Right-handed, left-handed – it does not matter. Go whichever direction you feel comfortable in. Just ensure that there is no direct pressure being placed onto the tick. This will result in the tick regurgitating its stomach contents into its hosts bloodstream, significantly increasing the risk of infection.Tick Twister® products come in a variety of sizes, meaning that all variations of tick can be easily and safely removed. There is now a set specifically designed for use on humans. There is the large for a full-grown adult tick, the small for a regular sized adult tick and the brand-new micro which can be used to remove larva and nymph. This new Tick Twister® is very important as studies show that ticks in the nymph stage are responsible for the highest percentage of disease transmission in humans because they are small, hard to detect and active during spring and summer, a period that concurs with the highest human outdoor activity (Rochlin and Toledo, 2020). Nymphs are difficult to spot and therefore patients are often not even aware of a tick bite before getting sick. It has been reported that a nymph will begin to transfer bacteria in under 24 hours from the first latch (Institute Pasteur, 2018).
At this point it is worth mentioning that much of the onus in overseas tick prevention must be placed on the owner. They need to be advised to take all the precautionary steps necessary, to ensure that the risk of any new species of tick entering the country is minimised. Should they either be on holiday or recently returned and find a tick, once it has safely been removed, a photograph should be taken to assist in its identification and any potential treatment the animal requires in the future. These photographs (or the tick itself when possible) can be sent to the Tick Surveillance Scheme (TSS) for identification and then added to their database.
One of the more dangerous ticks lurking on the continent is the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus), which at present is non-native to the UK. This species can carry the disease ehrlichiosis, mostly prevalent in dogs. Symptoms include swollen lymph nodes, weight loss and respiratory distress, to name but a few.
Studies show that ticks in the nymph stage are responsible for the highest percentage of disease transmission in humans because they are small, hard to detect and active during spring and summer
Another handy tip is that once removed, place the tick into a plastic bag and freeze it immediately for approximately 4 weeks. Should your patient become unwell after the tick’s removal, you can then take the frozen specimen to the Practice for testing, enhancing the chance of a positive diagnosis.Travelling pets
A further tick-related risk is travel – both UK-based animals travelling abroad and those from overseas arriving on UK shores and potentially bringing with them a brand new species of tick. It is entirely possible that a UK-based dog carrying a native tick can return from holiday carrying a new pathogen.At this point it is worth mentioning that much of the onus in overseas tick prevention must be placed on the owner. They need to be advised to take all the precautionary steps necessary, to ensure that the risk of any new species of tick entering the country is minimised. Should they either be on holiday or recently returned and find a tick, once it has safely been removed, a photograph should be taken to assist in its identification and any potential treatment the animal requires in the future. These photographs (or the tick itself when possible) can be sent to the Tick Surveillance Scheme (TSS) for identification and then added to their database.
One of the more dangerous ticks lurking on the continent is the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus), which at present is non-native to the UK. This species can carry the disease ehrlichiosis, mostly prevalent in dogs. Symptoms include swollen lymph nodes, weight loss and respiratory distress, to name but a few.
Final thoughts
It would be best practice to advise your clients to groom and wash their pet on a regular basis, using the correct preventative treatments. Should a tick be located, remove it quickly and safely using Tick Twister®. You can download a printable PDF poster of the O’Tom Tick Twister for your practice here and more downloadable information on the product is available here.Categories:
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There are no comments yet.
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Tell us what you think about this blog and share your experience with others. Please include only information that is relevant to the blog you are commenting.
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