Ticks transmit serious diseases to dogs including Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, and anaplasmosis. Prevention is simple, effective, and critical for dog welfare in tick-endemic regions.
Tick-borne diseases cause significant welfare harm in affected dogs through fever, pain, joint inflammation, and potentially life-threatening complications including immune-mediated disease and kidney failure. The chronic form of Lyme disease causes recurrent joint pain and lethargy that profoundly affects quality of life. Ehrlichiosis can cause bleeding disorders and bone marrow suppression that are debilitating and potentially fatal. All of these diseases are almost entirely preventable with appropriate year-round tick prevention and prompt tick removal. The welfare case for consistent tick prevention is overwhelming given the severity of potential disease and the simplicity of prevention. Modern tick prevention products are safe, effective, and available in forms convenient for different owner situations.