Essex dog owners are being warned after an outbreak of a killer disease carried by ticks.
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The outbreak has been traced to an area of Harlow in Essex, where vets are anxious the disease could become established.
Caused by the babesia canis parasite carried by ticks, babesiosis has killed one dog and made at least three others seriously ill.
Babesiosis is an infection which is caused by a single-celled parasite called babesia, according to Ms White.
A fourth case of the life threatening tick borne disease Babesia has been found in Essex which appears to be a hot spot. The local council has put up a sign with a map defining the area and advising dog walkers not to enter.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency, which is an executive agency sponsored by Defra, confirmed the affected animals had not been overseas.
Swainsbury, the Harlow vet who first identified the disease in the United Kingdom, told the Vet Record: “There has been a marked increase in the number of dogs being rescued from overseas into the area but we are at a loss to know why the requirement to treat dogs for ticks upon entry to the United Kingdom was relaxed”.
One pooch has already died following a deadly bite from the parasite amid an outbreak of babesiosis.
And scientists around the country involved in Britain’s largest-ever study of tick-borne illness in dogs warned vigilance is needed against threat from new diseases.
Symptoms of Babesiosis include weakness, pale gums, lethargy, red urine and a fever.
“At present we have a very well-defined area”, he said. Anti-tick medication can stop the spread of the ticks, and if ticks are physically removed from animals as soon as they are seen then transmission of the parasite can be prevented.
“The tick concerned, Dermacentor reticulatus is not a common tick in England, and PHE are now monitoring the distribution of this tick across England”.
There have been no reports as yet of any incidence in Ireland but vets are warning dog owners to check their pets for ticks.
To remove a tick, owners are advised to use tweezers to grip the tick by the head and pull it straight out, and not to twist, burn or apply anything to the skin.
So what symptoms do pet owners need to look out for?
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The tick sucks the blood and in the process of feeding the disease will transmit from the tick to the dog.
