Dog Tick-Borne Disease: Prevention and Welfare Impacts

Ticks transmit serious diseases that cause significant welfare impacts in dogs. Effective tick prevention and prompt tick removal protect dog health and wellbeing.

Key Facts

Ticks transmit diseases including Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, and anaplasmosis
Lyme disease is now present across most of the UK with Ixodes ricinus as the primary vector
Tick-borne diseases can cause severe illness months after the tick bite
Prevention through licensed tick treatments is highly effective
Prompt removal within 24-48 hours significantly reduces disease transmission risk

Welfare Considerations

Tick-borne diseases cause serious and sometimes chronic welfare impacts in affected dogs. Lyme disease causes joint pain, lethargy, and kidney disease that can be severe. Babesiosis causes life-threatening hemolytic anemia. Ehrlichiosis affects blood cell production with serious consequences. The insidious onset of tick-borne diseases, often weeks to months after exposure, means diagnosis is frequently delayed. Prevention through reliable tick prevention products significantly reduces disease risk. Regular tick checking and prompt removal using a tick hook prevents many transmissions even when prevention products are used.

What You Can Do

Apply a veterinary-licensed tick prevention product appropriate to your dog's lifestyle
Check your dog for ticks after every countryside walk, particularly in long grass
Use a tick hook for removal rather than burning or twisting which increases disease risk
Seek veterinary testing if your dog develops unexplained lethargy or joint pain
Be aware of the tick species and diseases present in areas where you walk
Tell your vet about recent tick exposure when presenting any undiagnosed illness