Ticks in our pets: the diseases they carry

Ticks are arachnids, with 8 legs and a shell that is hard or soft depending on the species. These parasites have managed to adapt to every kind of climate and habitat. The adult female is usually much larger than the male. Common ticks are found in woods and on waste ground, in tall-grass meadows and along the edges of paths.

While some survive the winter very well, they nonetheless prefer damp, temperate climates.

Certain ticks are encountered in Mediterranean areas, where the climate is warmer and drier; this is the case with the “brown dog tick”, which has been imported into Switzerland from foreign countries that remain ever-popular holiday destinations.

Why are ticks dangerous?

They transmit diseases that are dangerous to animals and to people.

The main diseases transmitted by ticks to dogs are:

1. borreliosis

Borrelia are bacteria transmitted by Ixodes ricinus. The disease shows itself through fever, loss of appetite and signs of listlessness. It can lead to joint inflammation and may even, at more advanced stages, damage the organs.

2. Babesiosis (= piroplasmosis)

Babesia are single-celled organisms transmitted by Dermacentor reticulatus and Rhipicephalus sanguineus. They attack and destroy the red blood cells, which is why the most common symptom is anaemia.

A high fever, urine that is red, brown or greenish in colour, or indeed jaundice, can be other symptoms of the disease.

3. Ehrlichiosis

Animals with an acute form of the disease may suffer from fever, apathy, loss of appetite, swelling of the lymph nodes and haemorrhaging. Chronically ill animals lose weight and show a greater tendency to bleed.

Treatment of these diseases

Treating each of these tick-borne diseases is often very costly, not always satisfactory and sometimes very lengthy. In the worst cases, they can be fatal.

After the egg hatches, there are 3 stages (larva, nymph, adult) present in the outside environment, most often in the grass. They wait for a host to pass by so they can drop onto or catch hold of it, attach themselves and take their blood meal.

They locate their hosts thanks to various sensory organs that detect heat, breathing and vibrations. After each meal, the tick falls to the ground and moults to the next stage. The female tick lays thousands of eggs on the ground before dying.

In Switzerland, ticks are generally found between March and October depending on the weather. They appear in large numbers from May to July, then from September to October. Depending on the winter climate, this seasonal pattern is currently shifting, and ticks can appear as early as January!

The anti-tick collars found in supermarkets are not always very effective and are sometimes even a source of allergies. The products supplied by the vet are better tolerated and far more effective. Even so, the application intervals and instructions for use must be followed to the letter.

You will find products in the form of spot-on pipettes, collars or tablets. Take care: some active ingredients that are effective in dogs are toxic to cats!

Removing the tick by twisting it out with special tweezers is effective if done promptly and, above all, without any product applied to the parasite beforehand (otherwise the tick immediately expels all the infectious germs it may contain). Careful observation after walking your dog is therefore essential.

Vaccines exist against some of the diseases mentioned above; a discussion with your vet will help decide whether or not they are needed for your animal.