Tick warning issued as Lyme disease cases rise

Vets and pet owners have been warned to remain vigilant against ticks this summer and beyond amid rising cases of Lyme disease across the US and Canada.

While almost two-thirds of Lyme cases are said to occur between May and August, Erin Dawicki, co-founder and chief executive of LymeAlert, a new tick test kit for clinical and at-home use, warned that ticks are becoming an almost year-round problem.

She said: “Tick populations are growing and expanding, they are also becoming more prevalent in areas where they weren’t as common before.

“There is no longer a firm end to tick season. Any time the temperature is about 34°F (1°C), ticks are out questing and searching for a blood meal.

“Changing weather patterns mean that more areas have habitats that can support tick populations than a decade ago.”

Frequency rises

Data from pet insurance giant Trupanion suggests that the frequency of Lyme-disease-related claims for dogs has grown by 8% in the US and by 231% in Canada since 2020, totalling 11,903 and 4,539 claims overall, respectively.

Quebec and New Brunswick experienced the largest increases in claim rates since 2020, with increases of 859% and 553%, respectively.

More than 89,000 cases of Lyme disease were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by state health departments and the District of Columbia as part of regular surveillance in 2023, and the CDC estimates around 476,000 people may be diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease each year in the US.

In some US regions, more than 30% of ticks test positive for disease; in the northeastern US, up to 50% of adult ticks are believed to potentially carry Lyme bacteria.

Tests

LymeAlert tests ticks for the disease and is said to provide rapid “lab-quality” results. It is validated for use on ticks removed from dogs, cats, horses, livestock and humans.

Mrs Dawicki, a human health care physician assistant and entrepreneur, added: “LymeAlert allows you to test removed ticks directly in the clinic or empower clients to do so on-site at their home, barn, farm or other location.

“The test delivers same-day results in under 30 minutes, prompting immediate vet/client discussion about tick-borne illness risks.

“While blood tests detect antibody presence, LymeAlert tests for the pathogen in the vector. This data can be used in conjunction with standard diagnostics for a comprehensive picture.”