What is the risk of tick-borne diseases to UK pets?

Tulloch, JSP

What you need to know

Checks for ticks should be carried out during routine physical examinations of companion animals. Focus the search on the head, legs and neck. Remove appropriately and ensure animals are covered with appropriate tick treatment. Ensure owners know how to remove ticks, and highlight the need for them to check themselves too.
Ticks are found over large parts of the UK, all year round, and so they should never be ruled out in a consult if an owner describes one.
Increasingly, exotic tick species are found in the UK and potentially carry exotic tickborne diseases.
Submit any ticks of unknown identity, or from animals that have a history of foreign travel, to The Tick Surveillance Scheme.
Little is known about the clinical incidence of tickborne diseases in companion animals in the UK. Research is greatly needed.

Veterinary Record

EPI Approaches