Tick-borne encephalitis and other tick-transmitted diseases cause serious neurological illness in dogs across Europe and Asia, with welfare impacts ranging from fever to fatal brain inflammation.
Dogs with tick-borne encephalitis who develop neurological signs experience significant suffering - seizures are distressing and painful, and meningoencephalitis causes severe headache-like symptoms, disorientation, and terror. The progressive nature of severe disease means extended suffering over days to weeks. Even recovered dogs may have lasting neurological deficits. The preventable nature of this condition through tick control and vaccination makes unprotected dogs' suffering especially difficult from a welfare perspective.