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Health Hound: All you ever wanted to know about the Brown Dog Tick

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According to the Oklahoma State University’s Entomology and Plant Pathology website, the Brown Dog Tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) infests homes and other buildings that dogs have access to.

These ticks have a strong tendency to crawl upward and may be found behind moldings at the top of walls or hidden in cracks and crevices in the ceiling. They may also be found behind curtains, in furniture, and under rugs.

All stages in the tick’s life cycle develop readily on dogs, and no intermediate hosts are required. The entire life cycle can be completed in less than two months. Eggs are deposited in cracks and crevices of the kennels or other quarters frequented by the dog. The eggs generally hatch in 20 to 30 days, depending upon temperature. The adult ticks are most often found in the ears and between the toes of dogs, and the larvae and nymphs in the long hair at the back of the neck.
The tick is found world-wide, more commonly in warmer climates. It is found on dogs, in kennels and houses, and occasionally on wildlife, and is common in warm places like Florida, USA.

The mature, blood-engorged female is gray and will swell to the size of a small raisin.

Although the brown dog tick is more common in North America and other places worldwide, British dogs ought not to be complacent, and are advised — especially if they travel to the Continent or beyond — to ask their friendly veterinarian about Spot-On treatments to ward against ticks.

A case in point was the tragedy of Caffreys, a Spaniel who was the first recorded dog to die of a tick bite in Britain. In May 2006 Jane Hunt from Ashford was left reeling after her Spaniel, called Caffreys, died after being bitten by a tick.

The Rhipicephalus tick, commonly called the Brown Dog Tick, was carrying babesiosis – a disease previously only seen abroad.
British scientists have expressed fears the bug carried by the blood-sucking parasite could spread – and even be contracted by humans.

A local vet discovered the tick and sent it for tests at the University of Bristol’s specialist laboratory. Peter Read at the university’s Department of Clinical Veterinary Science said: “Until now, this disease has only been seen in dogs that have travelled to France, Italy, Spain and Portugal.”

It is believed the disease-carrying tick could have been introduced by truckers travelling from the Continent – but it is more likely to have come from a pet brought back into the country after a holiday using the pet passport scheme.

Although the illness cannot be transferred between dogs to humans, if bitten by the tick people can suffer symptoms described as similar to being like ‘mild malaria’.

Yikes! You’ve been warned! Steer clear of ticks, and if you go abroad — go prepared!

Gggrrwoooof! Archie

Posted 28 May 07