Lyme disease likely at higher risk this year, CAPC saysMay 2, 2023Lyme disease is expected to pose higher-than-average risk this year, the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) reports.
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Council reports more parasite perils in 2022May 26, 2022In its spring 2022 report, CAPC warned vector-borne diseases will pose higher-than-average risks across most of the U.S.
Vector-borne diseases likely a higher risk this yearMarch 1, 2022Heartworm, Lyme, and other vector-borne diseases are expected to pose higher-than-average risk this year, the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) reports.
New CAPC study shows Lyme disease is spreadingMay 7, 2019Research from the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) indicates seroprevalence of Lyme disease in dogs is not only increasing in the Northeast, where it is considered endemic, but also spreading into areas that were previously thought to not be at risk for this serious, zoonotic tick-borne disease. ("Seroprevalence" in this case refers to the prevalence of dogs exposed to Borrelia burgdorferi, the pathogen responsible for causing Lyme disease in the U.S. based on serologic tests—hereafter referred to as "prevalence.") Study results were published in the December 2018 issue of Environmetrics, the official journal of The International Environmetrics Society (TIES). This milestone study, titled "A Large-scale Spatio-temporal Binomial Regression Model for Estimating Seroprevalence Trends," suggests canine prevalence rates for Lyme disease are rising and that those rates are increasing most in areas where the pathogen has recently encroached. Specifically, exposure in dogs to B. burgdorferi is rising in states not traditionally considered to be areas of high Lyme risk. Significant increases in the percentage of dogs testing positive for exposure have also been seen in areas that have not yet reported significant human incidence. These findings suggest canine Lyme prevalence could serve as an early warning system for changes in …
Why annual screening for exposure to infected ticks is vitalJune 20, 2018It's important to remember that a single tick can transmit multiple infectious agents that may cause or contribute to serious illness, including kidney disease. And because dogs don't always show clinical signs, it can be challenging to understand the true harm of any given infection to a pet's health. This makes regularly screening of pets—including asymptomatic or seemingly healthy ones—to identify exposure to infected ticks all the more important. Here's a quick look at why regular, comprehensive screening is critical, and what veterinarians can do to help keep dogs healthy. All dogs need to be screened annually for exposure to infected ticks It's quite possible a patient could be fighting an infection without showing any signs of disease. That is why limiting screening to symptomatic pets and those known to have had a tick on them is too restrictive—it will miss infections. All dogs need to be tested, and pet owners need to be reminded that negative results are the goal in order to verify that preventive measures against ticks are working. A new study reinforces the importance of detecting exposure The study, found at idexx.com/ckdstudy, showed two key findings: 1) dogs with Ehrlichia antibodies …
Why annual screening for exposure to infected ticks is vitalApril 18, 2018It's important to remember that a single tick can transmit multiple infectious agents that may cause or contribute to serious illness, including kidney disease. And because dogs don't always show clinical signs, it can be challenging to understand the true harm of any given infection to a pet's health. This makes regularly screening pets—including asymptomatic or seemingly healthy ones—to identify exposure to infected ticks all the more important. Here's a quick look at why regular, comprehensive screening is critical, and what veterinarians can do to help keep dogs healthy. All dogs need to be screened annually for exposure to infected ticks It's quite possible a patient could be fighting an infection without showing any signs of disease. That is why limiting screening to symptomatic pets and those known to have had a tick on them is too restrictive—it will miss infections. All dogs need to be tested, and pet owners need to be reminded that negative results are the goal in order to verify that preventive measures against ticks are working. A new study reinforces the importance of detecting exposure The study, found at idexx.com/tickrisk, showed two key findings: 1) dogs with Ehrlichia antibodies …
Abaxis gains USDA approval of VetScan FLEX4 Rapid TestJanuary 23, 2018Abaxis Inc., a diagnostics company manufacturing point-of-care instruments and consumables for the medical and veterinary markets worldwide, announced that the USDA, Center for Veterinary Biologics, approved its new VetScan FLEX4 Rapid Test for veterinary use. The FLEX4 is a 4-in-1 lateral flow test used for detecting heartworm antigen as well as antibodies for Lyme, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasma in canine whole blood, serum, or plasma samples. The VetScan FLEX4 Rapid Test offers improved shelf life, ease of use, room temperature storage, and price, as well as a 4-in-1 alternative for vector-borne disease testing on a single cassette, according to the company. Results are available within 8 to 10 minutes. The company plans to ship the FLEX4 to its distributors later this quarter; it should be available to U.S. veterinarians shortly thereafter. Abaxis said it will continue to sell the single test platform currently available for heartworm disease, Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis, and anaplasmosis.
CAPC 2017 forecasts for heartworm, lyme, anaplasmosis, erlichiosisMay 11, 2017The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) is confirming what many already know: milder winter temperatures, increased precipitation and general shifting weather patterns have created ideal breeding conditions for mosquitoes across the country.
