Parasites
TICKS CAN BE ACTIVE IN EVERY SEASON!
Most ticks are active in the spring and summer but also pose a risk during the fall and winter.
Published on March 1, 2024
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Questing time
Tick activity can be high during early spring and in the fall, as they begin ‘questing’ - a term used to describe when a tick is looking for its host (dog, cat, or other animals) to feed on. The questing time varies depending on the tick species. For some, like adult black-legged ticks, runs from late September to mid-December.
Did you know?
Tick activity is affected by daily fluctuations in temperature and humidity.2
Any time the temperature hits 0°C and above, ticks come out of hiding in search of a meal.
In fact...
Winter conditions can favour ticks infected with disease-causing pathogens to continue their search and find hosts.3 So while the weather might be unpredictable, one thing is certain: Ticks are active even in cooler temperatures!
Rising temperatures
Conditions for survival and reproduction among ticks have improved with rising temperatures, and this has accelerated tick life cycles.4
Why protect your pet against ticks year-round?
Without protection during the “off-season”, dogs (as well as their families) are unknowingly susceptible to Lyme disease and other illnesses. Unfortunately, and as a general rule, once a dog is infected with Borrelia burgdorferi, they will remain infected for life and are at risk for Lyme disease. Once some clinical signs are evident, the disease may be irreversible.
The good news? Lyme disease is preventable!
It is important that veterinarians counsel pet parents to adopt a multimodal approach to tick-borne disease prevention.
This includes avoiding areas of heavy tick populations (if possible), checking for and removing ticks as soon as possible, using tick control products, and having their dogs vaccinated against Lyme disease.
Before heading outside with their pet to enjoy the spring season, your client should check out these...
3 tick facts :
- Ticks aren’t picky eaters! They’ll indiscriminately feed on the blood of reptiles, birds, and mammals.
- Ticks can transmit disease through their spit! They can pass on viruses and bacteria (like the Lyme disease agent Borrelia burgdorferi) to people and animals through their saliva.
- They need time to spread Lyme! Once a tick has latched on to you or your pet, you have between 24-48 hours before it can spread the bacterial pathogens that cause Lyme disease. That’s the reason frequent tick checks and quick removal are so important.
Parasite prevention season is here.
Get ready by ordering everything you need and downloading the free thematic content for your establishment.
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References:
- Ticktalk Canada. Seasonality of ticks. Available at https://ticktalkcanada.com/seasonality-of-ticks
- Clow KM, Ogden NH, Lindsay LR, Russell CB, Michel P, Pearl DL, et al. A field-based indicator for determining the likelihood of Ixodes scapularis establishment at sites in Ontario, Canada. PLoS ONE. 2018; 13(2): e0193524.
- Science. Lyme-carrying ticks live longer—and could spread farther—thanks to warmer winters. Available at https://www.science.org/content/article/lyme-carrying-ticks-live-longer-and-could-spread-farther-thanks-warmer-winters
- Bouchard C, Dibernardo A, Koffi J, Wood H, Leighton PA, Lindsay LR. Increased risk of tick-borne diseases with climate and environmental changes. Can Commun Dis Rep. 2019; 45(4):81–9.