People’s Pets Are Falling Ill To Tick-Borne Diseases During International Travel
People’s Pets Are Falling Ill To Tick-Borne Diseases During International Travel
Our pets are very dear to us, so naturally seeing our dog or cat come down with a debilitating tick-borne disease would be devastating. Sadly, many dogs and cats that are traveling overseas from Great Britain are falling ill from a deadly tick-borne form of encephalitis. Many animals have been screened for various illnesses, and tick-borne encephalitis is the leading disease among pets being tested in Britain. This disease does not exist in the UK, but customs authorities believe that the pets likely contracted the tick-borne disease in either Spain, Bulgaria, Cyprus or Romania. Tick-borne encephalitis is among the most unpleasant diseases that a pet can have. For example, this disease often reaches the brain where it can cause many neurological problems such as tremors and seizures. This disease is carried by the Rhipicephalus sanguineus, or brown dog tick as it is more commonly known.
Vets are warning pet owners in Great Britain to reconsider taking their pets with them on vacation. In addition to the encephalitis outbreaks, veterinarians in Britain have also noted several sandflies infesting one particular dog. These sandflies from southern Europe are dangerous since they carry Canine Leishmaniasis. This particular disorder is also quite unpleasant for any dog as it causes skin lesions, weight loss and kidney failure.
Last year officials in Great Britain tracked two hundred and eighty seven thousand dogs that were traveling overseas from Great Britain. One study found that seventy six percent of all of these dogs had returned to the UK with ticks on them. In order for pets to travel outside of Great Britain, a pet passport is required. Not long ago The European Scientific Counsel for Companion Animal Parasites found a link between pet passports and more foreign ticks in the UK. One experts claims that regulating pet travel has become far less strict over the years, and this is a part of the problem.
Have you ever had a pet that fell ill due to a tick-borne disease?