By Elizabeth McQuillan
Nasty little critters. Ticks apply stealth tactics to latch on to their victim, and wait in the long grass and bracken for passing mammals. The body heat attracts them, and they freefall on to their new host, crawling upward until they find a cosy (often hairy) spot in which to burrow their little mouthparts into flesh.
Spring is here, along with the vampire-like ticks – and, if you own a dog that has constant access to the Scottish countryside, you cannot be unaware of the prevalence of these nasty blighters. Not long after a romp through the heather, your pooch is scratching and headshaking to rid itself of the tiny bloodsucking beasts.
It takes careful stroking all over to find the offending grey balls of mischief, and removal, even with the correct implements, risks the mouthparts remaining within the skin and a bad infection ensuing. The ticks themselves can carry some diseases, so it is necessary to take a preventative approach to tick management with dogs.
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Gundogs are perhaps most susceptible to ticks due the job they do and their very nature, but any dog mooching in the countryside is at risk. However, many city dog-owners are unaware of the tick problem, at home and abroad, and therefore do not take measures to protect their dogs from the risks associated with the bugs. Research carried out by the University of Bristol’s Veterinary Parasitology Group and published in the journal Medical and Veterinary Entomology found that at any one time 14.9 per cent of dogs were infested with ticks. It also found samples of a tick species previously only found in continental Europe – the European meadow tick, Dermacentor reticulatus – adding to evidence that this tick is becoming established in Britain. “This is a timely reminder of the vital importance of tick treatment for pets both in this country and when travelling abroad," said Harvey Locke, president of the British Veterinary Association (BVA), when commenting on the research. "It is a particularly important message as we approach the summer when owners should be treating their animals at regular intervals. “There are many tick-borne diseases which can have a devastating impact on pets, livestock and humans and we hope that this research will remind pet owners of their duty towards their animals’ health and welfare.” With dog owners travelling much more with their dogs, this could lead to irresponsible dog owners introducing a whole medley of new and nasty pet pests into the UK. “The increase in ticks not previously seen in Great Britain is likely to be the result of increased animal and human movements around the world, as well as the changing climate," Locke said. “These findings highlight the reason why tick treatment is a compulsory part of the Pet Travel Scheme, in order to reduce the likelihood of exotic ticks entering the UK. “Owners taking their pets abroad should also be aware of the risk of leishmaniasis, an infectious disease transmitted by sandfly and common in the Mediterranean coastal areas. The BVA Animal Welfare Foundation’s leaflet, ‘Taking your pets abroad’, is a comprehensive guide to diseases encountered abroad and how to avoid them.” Ticks are small spider-like beasties, with a hard body and tiny legs, which are generally just a few millimetres in size but can be up to 1cm. When they attach themselves, they swell and become engorged with blood, like a small smooth sphere. The colour varies from white, brown to blueish-grey, or blue-black. A close look will reveal tiny legs sticking out of the bubble. Prevalent in the Scottish Highlands, ticks can carry a number of potentially serious infectious diseases. Fortunately tick-borne infections are rare in the UK, but Lyme disease is a potential risk if the tick then moves to the owner as a host. Ticks in European countries including France and Germany can transmit a number of potentially serious diseases including babesiosis and ehrlichiosis. From the dogs' perspective, tick bites can prove very irritating, encourage itching and broken skin, and even triggering an allergy in some dogs. Prevention is simple enough with the regular application of a vet-prescribed "spot-on" product and by checking your dog thoroughly after walks. If you do find a tick, don’t use heat to encourage the tick to drop out, as this could seriously injure the dog. Buy the little green "forks" (useful to have at home or on holiday) from a pet-supply shop and insert one between the tick and the skin, then turn anticlockwise. Job done.Want to discuss other issues? Join in the debate on our new Scottish Voices forum
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