Global Warming Will Cause Dog Days
More parasites – greater risk of infection
The WHO suspects that one of the first consequences of climate change will be the global proliferation and spread of ectoparasites such as ticks, sand flies and mosquitoes; they multiply especially quickly when summers are longer and winters milder. Moreover, tropical bloodsuckers are moving north from southerly climes. Already, parasites and infectious agents from warm regions like the Mediterranean, Central America and Brazil have been observed to be colonizing Central Europe and the more temperate climatic zones of the United States. This also represents a danger for dogs, because it heightens the risk of infection by many pathogens.
Dangerous pests: ticks
One is the tick-borne borrelia, which causes borreliosis (Lyme disease) in humans. Another is a single-cell organism called babesia, which causes canine babesiosis. In central Europe it is transmitted by the marsh tick and can be lethal if left untreated. In both cases, the infectious agent is passed on by female ticks to their eggs – and thus to the next generation of ticks. The pathogens are transmitted to dogs or humans while the ticks are sucking their blood. And this has been happening more and more frequently in the wake of rising global temperatures: in 2007, ticks were observed to be active all year round because of the mild winter in many parts of the northern hemisphere.
On the advance: sand flies and mosquitoes
No less dangerous than the tick is the sand fly, because it carries the pathogen of leishmaniosis: it attacks animals' immune systems and blood vessels and can also affect humans. In dogs the disease is often chronic and can even be fatal.
This is no longer a rare event even in northern regions: as early as 2005, the French Food Safety Agency AFSSA (Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Aliments) drew attention to certain types of mosquitoes that appear relatively quickly in new regions when temperatures and precipitation levels change in ways that are beneficial for them. These also include the sand fly and various types of mosquito, which then migrate north from the warmer regions in the south of France.
Important precautions
Dog owners can take precautions by asking their vet what parasites are active in their area. Anti-parasite agents from Bayer protect our four-legged friends from the main blood-sucking ectoparasites that transmit diseases in Europe and North America. The pests are not only killed. They are also prevented from attaching themselves to the body of the dog, sucking its blood and transmitting infectious pathogens. Anti-parasite drugs should on principle always be used as long as the pests are active – which in many regions now means all year round.
Advice for patients
Every body reacts differently to medicines. Therefore it is impossible to tell which medicine works best for you. Please consult your veterinary.
