Tick Diseases On the Rise

by Steve Dale

There's an infestation of ticks! Next thing we know, there will be panic in the streets!

"I'm not sure that response is necessary, but by using appropriate products recommended by a veterinarian, we can protect our pets," says Dr. Michael Paul, executive director of the Companion Animal Parasite Council.

If ticks were counted in the U.S. Census, it would show there are 10 to 20 times more of them today than a decade ago. "The problem reaches beyond the tick gross-out factor," adds Paul. "Ticks carry diseases. Often a cocktail of diseases can be delivered by one tick. The result has been more sick pets."

Not only are there more individual ticks out there, but most tick species are also expanding their range. For example, the Gulf Coast tick -- as the name implies -- historically lived within about 100 miles of the Gulf of Mexico. Today, its range has extended to include much of the Southeast and up into the middle part of the country. The deer tick, famous for carrying Lyme disease, now occurs in each of the lower 48, and has crossed over the border into Canada, an unwanted immigrant to be sure.

Ticks and the diseases they carry aren't very good about adhering to U.S. border patrol restrictions, either. Hepatozoon canis, a serious tick disease, only occurred in Europe, Asia and Latin America until 2008, according to veterinary parisitologist Dr. Susan Little, a professor at Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine. This disease now appears appear to be on the rise in the U.S.

While lots of tick diseases affect dogs (probably some not yet identified), the good news for cats is that they're affected by only one known tick disease in the U.S. Unfortunately, cytauxzoonosis, transmitted most often by the Lone-Star tick, is often fatal. While some newer therapies are increasing the likelihood of survival, cytauxzoonosis is still costly to treat and all victims become very sick. And wouldn't you know it, the range of the Long-Star tick is also expanding, as is the prevalence of cytauxzoonosis.

So, what's going on? Are ticks more fertile? "No, that's not it," says Little, with a laugh. "At least not as far as we know. There's a complex combination of factors. At the top of the list," she says, "is wildlife. While many of us that appreciate the comeback of many species, they do carry ticks, particularly white-tail deer and the wild turkey."

What's more, with sprawling suburbia intersecting with natural environments, our pets' potential exposure to ticks has never been so conspicuous.

Whether you believe in global warming or not, Little says subtle changes in temperature and humidity, and generally warm winters, have also benefitted ticks.

The rising pet population is another contributing factor. There are more dogs in America today the ever before. What's more, our society is also more mobile. Dogs who spend a weekend in upstate New York hiking with their owners -- without tick protection -- then return to New York City and drop off ticks in Central Park.

Tick disease can be devastating, permanently affecting a dog's quality of life.

"You can treat symptoms, but there is no cure," says Dr. Steven Levy, of Durham, Conn., a veterinarian and expert on Lyme disease. "And those symptoms you think are under control might return repeatedly and even worsen as the dog ages."

Unlike other tick diseases, there's a vaccination for Lyme disease in dogs. In areas where Lyme disease is common or appears to be on the rise, vaccines offer protection. Traditionally, Lyme was thought to be a problem only in New England and north through Maine, as well as in a few Midwestern states. Within only the past few years, the range of Lyme disease in dogs has increased dramatically; it's now common in California, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Georgia and Florida.

Because veterinarians don't always screen for Lyme and other tick-borne diseases, Levy believes the many cases remain undiagnosed.

"Prevention is very important," adds Paul. "For outdoor cats where cytauxzoonosis is a threat, prevention may be lifesaving. Ask your veterinarian about the appropriate product. (Of course, keeping cats indoors would help greatly). For dogs, imagine being infected with three or four of these nasty-sounding diseases all at once. It doesn't have to happen. The benefits of protection greatly outweigh the risks of not protecting."

Learn more about tick diseases and check out a map where you can track where some of the most common tick-borne diseases occur at www.petsandparasite.org.

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