Ticks, fleas and other disease-carrying insects are a fact of life in many parts of the world. Some are known to carry diseases such as Lyme, anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis, which can be debilitating for both humans and animals. In addition to promoting proactive protection measures, such as monthly preventive medications, veterinarians need to engage pet owners to partake in regular screenings to identify vector-borne diseases, giving us a better chance at early detection and improved patient outcomes.
Here is what every veterinarian should have top of mind when making recommendations to pet owners about managing vector-borne diseases:
Frequency of Screening
The Companion Animal Parasite Council recommends comprehensive annual screening for diseases spread by mosquitoes and ticks to help identify potential health concerns early on regardless of geographical location. Annual screening allows for the early detection of disease and informs us on emerging vector-borne disease patterns. However, the frequency with which we advise pet owners to screen their pets for vector-borne diseases may vary based on region, disease prevalence and lifestyle. It is important that veterinarians converse with their clients regarding travel and take into consideration a patient’s overall health status when assessing the risk for vector-borne disease and making recommendations.
Recommended Screening Tests
Two tests that veterinarians should recommend as part of the continuum of care are:
- SNAP 4Dx Plus: It’s a valuable way to gain comprehensive insights to protect pets and their families from vector-borne diseases spread by ticks and mosquitos.
- SDMA: It’s a helpful tool to evaluate kidney health, and it could provide an early indication of a potential health issue related to vector-borne disease exposure or active disease.
Key Information for Pet Owners
Finally, it is important to offer tips and education for pet owners to minimize the risks of potential vector encounters. As veterinarians, we must inform pet owners of their screening options for vector-borne diseases and what it means for pets so that they can make an informed decision.
Providing the right safeguarding information for clients to protect their pets against ticks and vector-borne diseases can be an easy conversation. We simply need to reinforce the importance of proactive preventive measures for pet health, offer tips on minimizing risks and taking precautions, and recommend screening regularly to provide pet owners with peace of mind and our patients with the best level of medical care.
Lastly, make sure you carve out time for continuing education on the prevalence of vector-borne diseases.
ONLINE RESOURCES
Here are some useful pet owners handouts:
- Heartworm: bit.ly/4aZblb7
- Lyme: bit.ly/4cfOY24
- Ehrlichiosis: bit.ly/3yXyOME
- Anaplasmosis: bit.ly/3KCxMIn
LEARN MORE
Create an account to check out the on-demand course Future Landscape of Vector-Borne Diseases at learn.idexx.com/learn/signin.