References
Spring parasite update 2020
Abstract
While COVID-19 is impacting all of us, the veterinary profession continue to do an amazing job of continuing pet health care while keeping risk to staff and clients to a minimum. During the crisis, parasite control remains a vital part of maintaining animal health, and ESCCAP UK and Ireland continues to help disseminate the latest evidence-based parasite control advice by email, phone, website and CPD platforms to keep pets healthy and to guard against zoonotic risk. This article will provide a brief overview of some of the current parasite hot topics and threats to the UK, taking information from the quarterly Parasite Forecast published on the ESCCAP UK and Ireland website:
The end of 2019 saw the tick-borne pathogens Babesia venatorum and tick-borne encephalitis confirmed as endemic in the UK. Both these pathogens are transmitted by Ixodes spp. ticks and are serious zoonoses. We continue to hope that Brexit negotiations will prompt action to legislate compulsory tick treatment for pets entering the UK, screening of imported dogs for tick-borne pathogens and increased regulation regarding the importation of rescue dogs from abroad in a bid to reduce the risk of exotic ticks and tick-borne pathogens entering the UK. Although foreign travel is currently on hold, we still need to be prepared to correctly advise pet owners planning to take their pets abroad in the future. No tick product is 100% efficacious, making vigilance for ticks on travelled pets and their safe removal vitally important. Pet owners should be advised on the best methods to reduce the risks of pathogen transmission, both for their pets and themselves. Tick removal devices are now readily available to buy from many veterinary practices and pet shops (Figure 1).
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