Watch out: the tick season is there!

Looking back at 2019, it seems that it was the year of the ticks. A Southern tick species nicknamed monster tick (Hyalomma marginatum) was detected in Central and Northern parts of Europe, and infestations with Asian longhorned ticks exponentially grew in the United States. To add some buzz to the challenges, American pop star singer Justin Bieber made it to headlines due to his fight against Lyme disease. Ticks are here to stay – and without awareness and preventive care, they will not spare our furry friends. So, how does Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health stand in the fight against these parasites?

Climate change matters

Ticks pose a challenge to humans and animals alike, and they have close connection to climate change. The size of tick populations is primarily determined by factors such as biotope suitability, presence of hosts, temperature and humidity. In other words, it is influenced by the weather, and the phenomenon of climate change and its consequences on local faunas and floras matter. Usually, mild winters, like the last one registered in the Northern hemisphere, anticipate an earlier and more severe tick season. The reason is simple: disease-carrying ticks are out and about, hungry for the feast they didn’t get last fall.
 

“When temperatures are under 6 degrees Celsius, ticks fall into deep sleep. In case thermometers reach 6 degrees or more, they come out in force, hungry for their next blood meal in order to complete their life cycle and reproduce. That’s why they infest and bite animals and even humans, and may transmit diseases which may be severe or even fatal for some of them,” explains Marielle Servonnet, Director of Global Veterinary Technical Services for Pet Parasiticides at Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health.

Several tick species, different diseases

Information is fundamental to battle ticks. Many animal owners have no idea that ticks are disease agent carriers, and that a wide range of tick species can infest their pets. Furthermore, they don’t know that ticks are associated with a variety of diseases which threaten not only our four-legged friends but also humans.
 

Some tick species may transmit the agents of severe diseases to our pets, such as Ehrlichiosis, or Babesiosis. Clinical signs usually start with fever and anorexia. Anemia – with pale mucous membranes – may appear quickly or at a later stage of both diseases. It may be fatal if left untreated.

Other tick species carry the agents of tick-borne encephalitis or of Lyme disease, which also pose danger to humans. Some global attention around this disease has grown since American popstar Justin Bieber publicly declared his fight against it last year. The case shed some needed light on the challenges posed by ticks to global audiences.
 

Caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, the Lyme disease is transmitted through the bite of infected Ixodes ticks (e.g. black-legged ticks in the USA, forest ticks in Europe). Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. In severe cases, the infection can spread to joints, the heart, and reach the nervous system.

The Flea Tick Risk: battling ticks with an app

Furthermore, in Europe, the good news is Boehringer Ingelheim’s investment in technology as an ally against ticks, fleas and mosquitoes. The Flea Tick Risk is a website and an app monitoring parasitic risks across European countries, in connection to local weather conditions in real time.

Risk maps are updated every Monday for the week to come. The information is easy to get: an app installed on mobile phones enables anyone to access risk maps for specific countries, receive alerts and advice. The service is free and is available in seven different languages. It can be downloaded both for IOS and Android systems.
“Another interesting feature is that the app not only indicates risk areas where a human or an animal can be bitten in real time, but it also allows pet owners to share information. Users can send their own alerts when their cats, dogs or even they are bitten by fleas, ticks or mosquitoes. That’s a welcome contribution to statistics and further research. Physicians, scientists and vets can use this information to help explain infestations,” highlights Marielle.

At the moment, the possibility of extending the service beyond Europe is being discussed. Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health is a reliable partner offering cutting-edge science to support both prevention and treatment. In case of doubts, always talk to your vet. Depending on country and local regulations, several products may be available from vets to pet shops.

“As a dog owner and a vet, I’m really proud that at Boehringer Ingelheim we can offer a range of products and solutions to vets and pet owners in the fight against ticks and the diseases they transmit. It’s a real testimony to our strong commitment to disease prevention and improving the health and well-being of pets,” summarizes Dr. Craig Beck, Head of Pet Vet for Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.