Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ticks and tick-borne diseases in pets in Delaware
By Kennedy, Ashley C et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2025·Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Statewide passive tick surveillance using companion animals in Delaware reveals 9 tick species (Acari: Ixodidae) and 6 associated pathogens.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study in Delaware found that pets, including dogs and cats, are at risk from various tick species and the diseases they can carry. Over four years, pet owners and veterinarians collected over 1,500 ticks from their animals, identifying nine different types of ticks and six pathogens that can cause illnesses in both pets and humans. This research highlights the importance of being aware of ticks and taking steps to prevent tick bites in pets. Regular tick checks and preventive treatments are recommended to keep your furry friends safe from these potential health threats.
People also search for: dog tick prevention · cat tick diseases · how to check for ticks on pets · tick-borne illness in dogs · Delaware tick species
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess which ticks and tick-borne pathogens pose the greatest risk to companion animals and their human owners and handlers in Delaware. METHODS: We established a statewide passive surveillance program wherein participating veterinary clinics and individual pet owners in Delaware contributed ticks removed from animals in their care. We identified ticks to species and life stage and tested a subset (approx 20%) of ticks collected during the first 4 years for pathogens of medical and veterinary interest. RESULTS: Between 2019 and 2023, program participants throughout the state contributed 1,533 ticks from 522 individual host animals. Submitted ticks represented 9 tick species (in order of abundance: Amblyomma americanum, Dermacentor variabilis, Haemaphysalis longicornis, Ixodes scapularis, Amblyomma maculatum, Dermacentor albipictus, Ixodes cookei, Haemaphysalis leporispalustris, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato) from 5 host species (dogs, cats, goats, rabbits, and a ferret). Screening revealed 6 pathogens (Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia miyamotoi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Ehrlichia ewingii, and Ehrlichia canis) within tested ticks. CONCLUSIONS: Companion animals in Delaware are at risk of encountering a variety of tick species and associated pathogens. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study was the first in Delaware to document and measure the specific tick-associated risks facing Delaware pets. These findings provide a baseline for tick-borne pathogen prevalence in ticks encountered by companion animals in Delaware and thus serve as a measure of those animals' exposure to various tick-associated infections, highlighting the continuing need for tick awareness and tick bite prevention.
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/40780259/