Important Canine Parasite Information

Ixodes scapularis is commonly known as the deer tick or blacklegged tick.

Ticks are very hardy creatures and I. scapularis is no exception. They will be active even after a moderate to severe frost, as daytime temperatures can warm them enough to keep them actively searching for a host. In the spring, they can be one of the first invertebrates to become active.

Identifying features:

• Long mouth parts
• Non-ornate scutum (black/brown)

Habitat:

• Wooded areas, shrubs and leaf litter
• Adults are more active in the fall, nymphs are most active in the spring

Canine Pathogens transmitted:*

• Lyme disease
• Anaplasmosis
• Ehrlichiosis^†

Human Pathogens transmitted:

• Lyme disease
• Human babesiosis
• Anaplasmosis
• Powassan virus
• Ehrlichiosis^†

_{* Some of these diseases have not been seen in Canada yet.}

_{† Ehrlichia muris}

Is your pet protected against the Lone Star Tick? Find out what makes the Lone Star tick different from other tick species.

One female Lone Star tick can lay approximately 5 thousand eggs in their lifetime. Help stop the spread of the Lone Star tick and the many diseases it carries. Talk to your veterinarian today.

Amblyomma americanum, also known as the Lone Star Tick, the Northeastern Water Tick, or the Turkey Tick, is a type of tick indigenous to much of the eastern United States and Mexico, that bites painlessly and commonly goes unnoticed, remaining attached to its host for as long as seven days until it is fully engorged with blood.

It lives in wooded areas, particularly in second-growth forests with thick underbrush, where white-tailed deer (the primary host of mature ticks) reside. Lone star ticks can also be found in ecotonal areas (transition zones between different biomes) such as those between forest and grassland ecosystems. The lone star tick utilizes thick underbrush or high grass to attach to its host by way of questing.

Identifying features:

• Long mouth parts
• Ornate scutum
• Females - distinctive white spot
• Males - white along outer edges

Habitat:

• Woodlands with thick undergrowth
• Aggressive hunters and feeders
• Dispersal into Canada due to migratory birds and wildlife

Canine pathogens transmitted:*

• Ehrlichiosis (E. ewingii and E. chaffeensis)
• Rickettsiosis

Human pathogens transmitted:

• Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI)
• Human monocytic ehrlichiosis
• Tularemia (also a feline pathogen)

Other disease:

• Alpha-gal allergy: red meat allergy (in humans)
• Cytauxzoonosis in cats

^{* Some of these diseases have not been seen in Canada yet.}

^{Engorged Lone Star tick photo courtesy of James Gathany.}

Dermacentor variabilis, also known as the American dog tick or wood tick, is one of the most well-known hard ticks.

The American dog tick is commonly found along trails and roads and loves grassy areas, making a backyard a very suitable environment for this tick. Keeping grass cut short creates a low humidity environment which is undesirable for these ticks.

Adult ticks can overwinter in soil and can survive without a blood meal for 2 years.

Diseases are spread when it sucks blood from the host, which could take several days for the host to experience some symptoms.

Identifying features:

• Short mouth parts
• Ornate scutum

Habitat:

• Likes urban areas, roadsides, trails and backyards

Canine Pathogens transmitted:^*

• Rocky Mountain spotted fever
• Tularemia
• Canine tick paralysis

Human Pathogens transmitted:

• Rocky Mountain Spotted fever
• Tularemia

Feline Pathogens transmitted:

• Cytauxzoonosis
• Tularemia

Other diseases:

• Tick paralysis

The Brown Dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus), commonly called kennel tick, or pan-tropical dog tick, is a species of tick which is found worldwide, but more commonly in warmer climates. This species is unusual among ticks in that its entire life cycle can be completed indoors. Typically, a few ticks are brought into the house or kennel, often on a dog which has been away from home. The early stages of the infestation, when only a few individuals are present, are often missed completely. The first indication the dog owner has that there is a problem is when they start noticing ticks crawling up the walls or curtains! Rhipicephalus sanguineus will feed on a wide variety of mammals, but dogs are the preferred host.

Identifying features:

• Hexagonal basis capituli is the most identifiable characteristic
• Short mouth parts
• Non-ornate scutum

Habitat:

• One host tick that prefers dogs
• Homes, dog kennels and animal pens
• Worldwide distribution, prefers warmer climate

Canine Pathogens transmitted:*

• Ehrlichiosis
• Rocky Mountain spotted fever
• Canine babesiosis
• Hepatozoonosis

Human Pathogens transmitted:

• Q fever
• Rocky Mountain spotted fever

Amblyomma maculatum is a species of tick in the genus Amblyomma. Larvae and nymphs feed on birds and small rodents, while adult ticks feed on deer and other wildlife. Adult ticks have been associated with transmission of R. parkeri to humans.

Identifying features:

• Long mouth parts
• Ornate scutum

Habitat:

• Prefers tall grass and coastal uplands
• Birds and mammals are important hosts, including white tailed deer

Canine Pathogens transmitted:^*

• American canine hepatozoonosis
• Rickettsiosis

Human Pathogens transmitted:

• Rickettsiosis