This winter has not only been very wet, it has also been very mild. A mild winter can mean that bugs that are normally killed by the cold survive much more than expected – not always a good thing when these bugs are ones that cause problems in our pets. This week I am talking about ticks. You are probably all aware that ticks can carry diseases, indeed there are some really nasty tick borne diseases that we see in dogs that have travelled in continental Europe. One of these diseases is called Babesia and can cause fever, anaemia and potentially life threatening multi-organ failure in dogs.

As vets we have always been aware that if we see these symptoms in a dog that has recently travelled overseas we should think about Babesia as a cause, but recently there have been reported cases of dogs that have never travelled overseas contracting this disease; this means that the ticks that carry Babesia are now living in the UK. A recent survey of ticks conducted by Bristol University identified these particular ticks in 5 different areas of the country.

We do not know whether it is global warming or the increase in travelling pets causing these ticks to become more widespread in the UK. More research into the distribution of these ticks is happening but in the meantime what you can do to protect your dog is make sure that their tick prevention is up to date. There are plenty of products out there that are effective at preventing ticks so ask your vet to recommend the best one for your pet.

Alice Moore is a vet at the Southfield Veterinary Centre, South Walks, Dorchester. Tel: 01305 262913.

The surgery is open for consultations between 8am and 6.30pm. Please contact the surgery if you have any questions about this week's article or any other veterinary matters.