Each practice was provided with instructions and submission kits containing forceps, tick containers, prepaid mailing envelopes and submission forms. Ticks submissions were invited from 190 enrolled veterinary practices in all 50 states to ensure broad geographical representation and were supplemented by submissions from other veterinary practices interested in supporting the study. A “citizen-science” survey detailed tick infestations on people and animals across the USA, but did not report which tick species were found on dogs and cats or in the different geographical regions.

A review of medical records from 2002– 2004 reported that ticks were found on 29,662/2,275,048 (1.3%) dogs in 40 states, but information on species or stage was not available. The close association between people and pets, along with the shared disease risk ticks pose, has fostered recent interest in large-scale surveys of ticks from companion animals. pacificus and Rhipicephalus sanguineus, but recent, comprehensive surveys from this region documenting the species and occurrence of ticks on pets and particularly on dogs, are lacking. maculatum, Dermacentor variabilis, Ixodes scapularis, I. In the USA, common species include Amblyomma americanum, A. Several different tick species, most of which transmit zoonotic and veterinary pathogens, are known to feed on domestic dogs and cats (Tables 1, 2). Ticks are common ectoparasites of significant medical and veterinary importance worldwide. These data confirm that dogs and cats in the USA are at risk of tick infestation throughout the year and that tick species present in the region have apparent attachment site preferences. americanum was most commonly attached to the tail and perianal region. scapularis was most commonly attached to the head and A. sanguineus to the head, neck, abdomen, legs, and feet. scapularis to the head, neck, and back and R. americanum was most commonly attached to the abdomen, axillary, and inguinal regions D. Reported attachment sites of common tick species differed. Co-infestations were documented in 93 dogs and 14 cats. maculatum, Haemaphysalis longicornis, Otobius megnini, and less common Dermacentor spp. Dog and cat infestation intensities ranged from 1 to 4765 and from 1 to 38 (median = 1, mean = 6.7 and 2.6), respectively. Resultsįrom February 2018 through January 2019, 10,978 ticks were submitted from 1494 dogs and 336 cats in 49 states and ticks were collected in every month. Upon receipt, ticks were identified to species and stage using morphologic keys when necessary, species identification was confirmed molecularly. Ticks were submitted with information about the pet and the attachment sites of each tick marked on a biopsy chart. Tick submissions were invited from veterinary practices in all 50 states. Here we report a large-scale study of ticks from dogs and cats in the USA over a 12-month period. Although most of these species also readily feed on people, national data regarding the species and abundance of ticks on dogs and cats are lacking.

A variety of tick species infest dogs and cats in North America.

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