Ticks and tick fever in dogs: removing ticks safely and protecting your dog

Ticks in Bangladesh

Ticks are small, eight-legged parasites that bite and feed on blood. They hide between the toes, inside the ears, around the neck and under the collar.

In the Dhaka study, ticks were collected from street dogs between September and January, so ticks are not only a rainy-season problem (Mohanta and colleagues, 2024). Street dogs carry ticks, and ticks can reach pet dogs on stairs, in lanes and in shared spaces.

Studies of dogs in Bangladesh have found tick-borne infections in many of them:

• In Dhaka, Babesia gibsoni was found in 38 of 85 street dogs tested, nearly 1 in 2. Another tick-borne infection, Anaplasma platys, was found in 7 (Mohanta and colleagues, 2024).
• An earlier Dhaka study found Babesia gibsoni in 26 of 68 dogs tested, about 4 in 10 (Talukder and colleagues, 2012).
• In Chattogram, the same parasite was found in street dogs too: 6 of 130 dogs (about 1 in 20) by a DNA test (Nur-e-Azam and colleagues, 2016).

The Dhaka 2024 and Chattogram studies tested street dogs only, so the figures do not tell us how many pet dogs are infected. They do show that the infection is present in our cities.

What "tick fever" does

Babesia parasites live inside red blood cells and destroy them. Babesia gibsoni usually causes a long-lasting illness with anaemia that gets worse over time, and it is hard to treat (Merck Veterinary Manual, Babesiosis in animals). Illness ranges from mild to a severe disease that can kill a dog quickly (Merck Veterinary Manual, Blood parasites of dogs).

Signs reported in animals with babesiosis include (Merck Veterinary Manual):

• Tiredness, weakness and low mood.
• Fever.
• Not eating, and weight loss.
• Pale gums (a sign of anaemia).
• Yellow gums or eyes (jaundice).
• Red or dark urine, in severe cases.

Other tick-borne infections, such as ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis, can cause similar signs. Only a vet can tell them apart, usually with a blood test.

Removing a tick safely

• Use fine tweezers. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as you can and pull gently and steadily (Merck Veterinary Manual).
• Never remove a tick with bare hands (Merck Veterinary Manual). Wear gloves or use a tissue, and wash your hands afterwards.
• Do not burn the tick with a match (Merck Veterinary Manual). Do not put kerosene, oil, petroleum jelly or anything else on the tick to make it let go. Remove it as soon as you can (CDC).
• Watch the bite site over the next days. If it becomes red, swollen or painful, see your vet.
• If there are many ticks, a vet should treat your dog.

Protecting your dog

• Ask your vet to choose a tick product (Merck Veterinary Manual). The right one depends on your dog's age, size and health, and your vet can advise how often to use it. Use only a product your vet has chosen for that animal.
• Never use tick products made for cattle, goats or other farm animals on a dog or cat. Some pet parents in Bangladesh do this. Ask a vet instead.
• Check your dog every day, especially after walks: between the toes, in and around the ears, the neck and under the collar.
• Keep your dog away from places with many ticks, such as long grass and areas where many street dogs rest (Merck Veterinary Manual).
• Clean bedding and resting places often.

Dog tick products can kill cats

Some tick and flea products for dogs contain permethrin. Permethrin is highly poisonous to cats, because a cat's liver cannot break it down. Even close contact with a dog recently treated with permethrin can make a cat seriously ill, and cats can die (International Cat Care).

Signs of permethrin poisoning in a cat include twitching, shaking and fits (International Cat Care). The cat needs a vet at once.

• Never use a dog product on a cat.
• If you have both a dog and a cat, tell your vet, so they can choose a product that is safe for your home.
• Keep your cat away from a newly treated dog, as your vet advises.