Tick-borne diseases in cats and dogs can almost always be prevented. Client education is necessary to educate clients about tick-borne diseases in pets, including the risks associated with different tick species, canine, and feline lifestyles, importation concerns, travel, and especially as summer progresses. Our veterinary One Health responsibility includes tick prevention and tick-borne diseases.
Tick-borne diseases in the U.S.A. and Canada
Lyme disease in dogs includes anaplasmosis (Lyme borreliosis), ehrlichiosis (Tularemia), Rocky Mountain spotted fever, hepatozoonosis (RMSF), and tick paralysis. 1,2 In cats anaplasmosis and cytauxzoonosis are serious concerns.  Do Birds SleepÂ
If not treated or diagnosed quickly, many of these diseases can cause severe consequences and even death in cats and dogs. Unfortunately, many of these diseases can cause death in dogs and cats if they are not treated or diagnosed quickly.
This table summarizes U.S. tick and tick-borne diseases information. 2,8 These maps are based on tick distribution for different tick types, tick-borne illness ( i.e. Lyme Disease risk maps) and/or canine tickborne disease seroprevalence mappings, i.e. positive test results from dogs in Canada and the U.S.
Education and tick-risk
Many pet owners don’t know about tick-borne diseases and the need to communicate them. Client knowledge can be skewed to the side of tick-borne disease.
One sign of the U.S. changing is that ticks are more common in south-central Indiana. Amblyomma Americanum is the dominant species. Amblyomma Maculatum is another example. It can be found in the midAtlantic, Midwest, and southern Arizona with higher tick abundance.
Tick-borne diseases are more common in cats and dogs, so it is important to inform clients about ticks and their potential health risks. 6,13 and 14
Common signs and symptoms
It can be difficult to diagnose tick-borne disease in dogs and cats. Because clinical signs can be vague or non-specific and may vary depending on the infecting pathogen, this is why it can be difficult to diagnose tick-borne disease in dogs and cats. To be diagnosed with tick-borne disease, it must be included on the clinician’s differential lists. Can Dogs Have Avocados
Here is a list of the most common tick-borne diseases in Canada and the U.S. for dogs and cats. The most common clinical signs in dogs are: (1) acute onset of shifting leg lameness (+/- flu; and (2) Lyme Nephropathy, which is a severe form of protein-loss nephropathy. 1. In cats, the reported clinical signs are , i.e. lethargy, anorexia . 3
, including fever, decreased appetite, weakness and lethargy. , e.g.petechiation. Clinical signs in cats can include fever, anorexia and lethargy. 3.4Ehrlichiosis can be caused by Ehrlichia canis, Ehrlichia ewingii and possibly E. Ehrlichiosis can be caused by infection with Ehrlichia canis or Ehrlichia ewingii, as well as E.muris-like agents.
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
 may cause an acute onset, decreased appetite, weakness and lethargy in dogs. Along with symptoms related to neurologic dysfunction and vasculitis, bleeding tendencies ( e.g.petechiation), peripheral edema, and polyarthritis can occur. It is important to diagnose RMSF quickly in order to manage the patient and advise on human risk.
