Veterinarians are warning pet owners to be extra-vigilant about parasite protection as tick numbers increase as a result of recent weather patterns.
Dr Ingrid de Wet, principal veterinarian at Country Animal Clinic in Somerset West, said the very wet weather combined with hot weather in between has created the perfect environment for ticks to breed and be active. “We hardly ever see biliary (tick-bite fever) at our clinic, but had to do two biliary-related blood transfusions in the last few weeks,” she added.
In addition to the weather conditions, De Wet said pet owners tend to become relaxed about parasite prevention during winter.
Biliary is the most common infectious disease of dogs affecting dogs. It also affects horses and cats, and is caused by a tiny parasite (Babesia canis) which is introduced into the body by a tick bite. Humans are also at risk of tick bite fever.
Sam Mann, clinic coordinator at EberVet Pet Clinic in Strand, warned cat owners not to think of biliary as a dog disease. “Yes, we have seen a lot more biliary in cats,” she said. “It does affect cats too and the moment the weather gets warmer we’ll see an influx.”
Mann said the clinic was also treating a large number of ehrlichia cases, a disease carried by the brown dog tick which is prevalent in South Africa. An animal contracts the disease when bitten by an infected tick.
Removing a tick once it has bitten a dog or cat is no guarantee that the pet is protected as disease can be transmitted from that first bite. The best prevention, the vets said, is parasite protection all year round.
Ironically, some pet parents refuse parasite protection because of the perceived cost but treatment of tick-borne diseases is way more expensive, De Wet explained. Parasite protection that lasts for three months costs between R300 and R650, depending on the size of the dog, while treatment of biliary can be anything from R1 000 to R8 000, depending on how well the dog responds and whether they need extended hospitalisation and blood transfusions.
“If not caught early enough, or if there are complications, tick-borne diseases can be fatal,” De Wet concluded.
