Cutting Risk Short: Speed of Kill as a Tool for Canine Tick-Borne Disease Control
Ticks and tick-borne diseases continue to pose a significant and evolving threat to canine health across the United States. This presentation will review the most common medically important tick species affecting dogs and examine how speed of tick kill influences the likelihood of pathogen transmission. Particular emphasis will be placed on the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) and the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum), including the mechanisms and timing of transmission of their associated pathogens and how rapid tick kill can meaningfully reduce disease risk. The session will also explore how effective tick control can influence the interpretation of commonly used diagnostic tests, helping clinicians better contextualize diagnostic findings in dogs with known tick exposure. In addition, recent data comparing the speed of tick kill among monthly-dosed isoxazoline products--across both existing and newly acquired infestations throughout the dosing interval--will be reviewed. Practical, evidence-based strategies for incorporating speed of tick kill into comprehensive tick-borne disease prevention and client communication will be discussed.
- Identify key tick species and tick-borne pathogens commonly affecting dogs in the United States.
- Describe the relationship between tick feeding behavior, attachment duration, and pathogen transmission risk.
- Explain how speed of tick kill influences the likelihood of tick-borne pathogen transmission in dogs.
- Interpret common tick-borne disease diagnostic test results in the context of effective tick prevention.
