Revision
Quick refreshers on key topics
Ticks and an introduction to canine babesiosis
Adult tick Eggs
Tick life cycle
Larvae
Nymph
ABSTRACT Ticks are arthropods that are closely related to mites . They are blood-feeding ectoparasites and will feed on a wide variety of host animals . Due to their ability to transmit disease , they are considered to be of significant medical and veterinary importance . One of the diseases that has recently been introduced to the UK is canine babesiosis , caused by the pathogen Babesia spp ., which is carried by ticks found in mainland Europe , namely Dermacentor spp . As this is not yet an established disease in the UK , it is important to be able to identify the disease and its clinical signs to ensure a holistic approach to nursing care .
Keywords ticks , babesiosis , ectoparasites
Introduction
Ticks are of veterinary and medical importance as they can transmit a variety of disease-causing organisms and are considered to be the second most important vectors of human disease worldwide [ 1 ] . Ticks are arthropods and can be divided into two groups : hard ticks ( Ixodidae ), often seen in dogs and sheep , and soft ticks ( Argasidae ), often seen in bats and birds . It is important to be able to identify ticks because a certain tick genus may be more likely to carry a certain disease .
Hard ticks can be identified by their visible mouthparts and the presence of a rigid scutum on the dorsal surface [ 2 ] . Soft ticks have less visible , smaller mouthparts , and a leather-like appearance with no hardened dorsal surface [ 3 ] .
Volume 38 ( 2 ) • April 2023
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