After the introduction of Babesia canis to Essex and the establishment of Rhipicephalus ticks in UK homes, the natural reaction of the veterinary profession has been to look for a reason for these breaches in our national biosecurity. The prime suspect rapidly became the Pet Travel Scheme and the dropping of the compulsory tick treatment before pets return to the UK, with calls from UK veterinary surgeons and nurses to have this rule reinstated. A petition has been set up online to put pressure on the Government to consider its reintroduction, and ESCCAP UK & Ireland holds the view that it is important that it is discussed as part of pet travel rules as a whole if they are renegotiated in the light of Brexit. The dropping of the compulsory tick treatment however is just one small part of a complex jigsaw of factors that is putting the UK at risk.
Chancellor George Osbourne once referred to a ‘cocktail of risk’ in relation to the economy, and the UK faces something similar with vector-borne disease. A perfect storm of events is leading to an increased likelihood of exotic ticks and the pathogens they carry entering the UK:
- Spread of exotic ticks across Europe — Dermacentor numbers have increased in France with spread into the Baltic states and Scandinavia. Similarly, Rhipicephalus has spread north into France, Switzerland and Eastern Europe. Almost half of people who travel with their pets, travel to France with an increase in French tick numbers therefore being a real concern.
- Increased pet travel — in 2015 alone, 164 836 dogs were recorded entering the UK under the Pet Travel Scheme, and the numbers of dogs travelling on the scheme is increasing year on year. The big tick project found in just 56 dogs that had been examined within 2 weeks of return to the UK, 13 were carrying R. sanguineus ticks. This demonstrates the potentially huge numbers of Rhipicephalus ticks that may be being introduced to the country each year.
- Importation of dogs — increasing numbers of dogs are being imported both illegally and legally from Eastern and Southern Europe where both Rhipicephalus and Dermacentor are increasing.
- Increasing number of ticks — within the UK the big tick survey results suggest that Ixodes spp. tick numbers have increased. Even though, the prevalence of Borrelia spp. has not significantly changed in ticks since 2009, increasing tick numbers and enjoyment of outdoor pursuits are likely factors in the incidence of Lyme disease increasing in people year on year.
This combination of factors requires a joined up approach across the whole veterinary profession to combat the risk they represent. Reintroduction of the compulsory tick treatment on the Pet Travel Scheme will only be effective if combined with effective tick treatment before and during travel. Similarly, pets in the UK need to be assessed for tick-borne disease risk and treated appropriately. No tick treatment is 100% effective so pets need to be checked at least every 24 hours and any ticks found removed. Veterinary professionals checking pets for ticks on return to the UK can help to find, remove and identify ticks that may have slipped through the tick protection net while abroad. The presence of Dermacentor foci across England with the potential to harbour Babesia canis, and increasing number of Ixodes ticks in the UK, means that tick surveillance is more vital than ever. Veterinary surgeons and nurses should be encouraged to identify and record exotic ticks, or send them to Public Health England for identification.
A consistent message to the public is required with veterinary surgeons, nurses, drug companies, government bodies etc all giving the same tick preventative advice. In addition, sharing information will lead to more effective disease surveillance and a clear message being sent to the public so that disease and vector prevention strategies can be put in place that are backed up by current evidence and implemented effectively.
Veterinary nurses are on the frontline of this battle against ticks and the risk they pose to UK pets and owners. The day to day interactions that nurses have with clients are vital, explaining and ascertaining risk, demonstrating how to accurately apply products, how to look for and remove ticks, as well as identifying them and picking up early signs of tick-borne disease. By working together, even in these challenging times, we can reduce the risk of tick-borne disease to pets and public alike.