Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Winter tick found on dogs and cats in North America recently
By Duncan, Kathryn T et al.·Published in Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports·2020·Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, United States·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Recent reports of winter tick, Dermacentor albipictus, from dogs and cats in North America.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A few dogs and cats in North America were found to have winter ticks (Dermacentor albipictus), which are usually seen on larger animals like moose. Between 2018 and 2020, four dogs and four cats from the U.S. and three dogs from Canada were infested with these ticks, mostly during the colder months. The ticks were identified by veterinary specialists, and tests showed no harmful bacteria were present in the ticks from the U.S. As tick populations grow, it’s important for pet owners to recognize and report ticks on their pets to help track tick-related health issues.
People also search for: dog ticks symptoms · cat ticks treatment · how to remove ticks from pets · winter ticks in dogs · tick prevention for cats
Abstract
Dermacentor albipictus, a common one-host tick of large animals in North America, is most often reported from moose (Alces alces) and is rarely implicated as a parasite of cats and dogs. From 2018 to 2020, 4 dogs and 4 cats from United States and 3 dogs from Canada were infested with D. albipictus. The specimens were collected and submitted to university diagnostic specialists by veterinary clinics in Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Alberta, and British Columbia between the months of October to February (United States) and April to June (Canada). Six adults and five nymphal D. albipictus were collected in the United States while three adults were collected from pets in Canada, and most often a single D. albipictus was present. Identification of specimens collected in the United States were confirmed by amplification and sequencing of 16S rRNA and ITS-2 gene fragments. Rickettsia spp. were not detected in any D. albipictus collected in the United States by 17 kDa-based PCR. As tick populations continue to increase and expand in North America, correct identification of ticks collected from pets is critical to accurately track the progression and spread of ticks and tick-borne diseases.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33308744/