Pathogens that cause heartworm disease, Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, and anaplasmosis continue to spread throughout the United States. Risks have increased due to rehoming of pets, changes in distribution and prevalence of vector populations, changes in wildlife populations and their incursion into newly developed and reclaimed areas, changes in habitat due to natural or human-induced processes, and the short and long-term changes in climatic conditions. Ticks and mosquitoes remain the principal transmitters of pet and human vector-borne pathogens.
The 2022 forecasts, supported by ongoing research, highlight areas where we can do more to lower the risk of exposure of companion animals to vectors of disease. The best preventive measures that veterinarians and their clients can take is to prevent contact between companion animals and these vectors. The foundation of these prevention strategies are recommendations of products that kill and/or repel mosquitoes and ticks, and the practice of year-round heartworm prevention.
Visit the Companion Animal Parasite Council’s website for the full article … and ask us about the best prevention methods for your pets!
*Image courtesy of CAPC
