Babesiosis Outbreak: Dog Owners Being Warned About The Deadly Tick Disease

Government health agencies warned dog owners about babesiosis, a malaria-like disease resulting in anaemia to dogs. The announcement comes after four dogs in Harlow, Essex have been affected by the said disease. Apparently, one of the dogs died while the other dogs have been seriously ill.

This is the first time an outbreak of babesiosis has occurred in dogs in the UK. Hence, Animal and Plant Health Agency examined the tick that was removed from the dogs and it was identified as Dermacentor reticulatus. And apparently, it is a tick found in the wooded areas of Western Europe.

"The tick concerned, Dermacentor reticulatus is not a common tick in England, and PHE are monitoring the distribution of this tick across England," Public Health England said in a statement, according to The Guardian.

The experts are now investigating the outbreak that affected the four dogs that have no history of foreign travel. Furthermore, experts feared that the said disease could spread elsewhere. Hence, Harlow Council is reminding dog owners to always protect their dogs from the disease by applying anti-tick treatment to their furry friends and to always check their dogs for ticks. "Further advice is available from local vets," the council added to Sky News.

Babesiosis attacks blood cells of the dogs and symptoms include lethargy, fever, weakness and pale gums. If it is left untreated it can be fatal to dogs. In fact, vets performed blood transfusions on the three affected dogs to combat the disease.

Thus, Clive Swainsbury, a vet at the Forest Veterinary Centre in Harlow advised all dog owners to prevent the tick from spreading by using tick products. Nevertheless, he said to BBC not all products can kill the tick, so pet owners, still, need to seek advice from vets to save dogs from the potentially killer disease.