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P‐27
Characteristics of Dermacentor reticulatus and Ixodes ricinus infestations in 191 dogs in France
Author(s) -
Bourdeau P.,
Ximenes T.,
Beziade O.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
veterinary dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.744
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1365-3164
pISSN - 0959-4493
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3164.2004.00414_27.x
Subject(s) - tick , dermacentor reticulatus , ixodes ricinus , rhipicephalus sanguineus , infestation , veterinary medicine , biology , tick infestation , parasitiformes , coat , acari , medicine , ixodidae , zoology , ecology , botany
The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution of ticks on the body and characteristics of tick populations and their consequences. The studies were conducted in France in two clinics (A and B) over 10 months. Dogs were carefully examined for the presence of ticks (all dogs in group A, and 150 dogs per month in group B). Information on hair coat (long, medium, short), pruritus, number of ticks, distribution of ticks on the body, and identification of ticks was collected. An intradermal test ( Dermatophagoides farinae , D. pteronyssinus ) was performed on most of the tick‐positive dogs in group A. In group A, 87 dogs (4.5%) were infested with ticks, while in group B, 104 dogs (9%) were infested. There was no significant difference in infested dogs compared with control dogs with regard to coat length. The level of infestation was generally very low: <5 ticks in 81.5%, 5–9 ticks in 12.2%, and ≥ 10 in 6.3% of infested dogs. Of 528 ticks collected, Dermacentor reticulatus was the most abundant (67%), followed by Ixodes ricinus (32.9%) and Rhipicephalus sanguineus (0.1%). Ticks were found mainly on the head (41%) and neck (52.9%), and less frequently on the trunk, ventrum, legs, perianal and tail areas. Twenty‐eight per cent of infested dogs were pruritic compared to only 10% in ectoparasite‐free dogs. In 65 intradermal tests, 23% were positive to D. farinae and 6% to D. pteronyssinus . Funding: Self‐funded.