Tick-borne diseases including Lyme disease, babesiosis, and Anaplasma are increasing in prevalence in the UK and Europe, causing significant welfare impacts in affected dogs that are largely preventable through appropriate tick control.
Tick-borne diseases cause significant acute and sometimes chronic welfare harm. Lyme disease can cause persistent joint pain, lethargy, and kidney disease that substantially impairs quality of life. Babesiosis causes haemolytic anaemia requiring emergency treatment and can be fatal. Early treatment with appropriate antibiotics or antiprotozoal drugs improves welfare outcomes substantially. Prevention through tick control products is more welfare-protective than treatment of established disease. As tick ranges expand with climate change, awareness and prevention measures are increasingly important for dog welfare across the UK.