What is the risk of tickborne diseases to UK pets?

At this time of year many animal owners will be finding ticks on their pets and themselves, highlighting the One Health risk that tickborne diseases pose. 1 The study by Wright and others, 1 summarised on p 514 of this week's issue of Vet Record, which uses data collected by Public Health England's (PHE) Tick Surveillance Scheme (TSS) (www.gov.uk/guidance/tick-surveillance-scheme), stands out as a fantastic example of what can be achieved when a One Health surveillance approach is adopted. 1 The TSS is well supported by the veterinary profession, who have submitted 46.8 per cent of all ticks received by the scheme. 2 Their work provides a solid evidence base that enables the veterinary profession to offer sound advice to clients and the general public. Pet owners are one and a half times more likely to be bitten by a tick than non-pet owners. 5 This risk extends beyond rural areas as it is now well established that exposure can occur in urban parks. 6,7 Current estimates suggest that a tick needs to feed for more than 24 to 48 hours before pathogen transmission occurs. 8 As Wright and others discuss, regular tick checks should be encouraged and seen as an everyday part of pet care, regardless of whether you live in a rural or urban area. 1 This should equally be extended to checking yourself for ticks. [...]prompt recognition and correct removal is important (TSS offer useful advice on their website). [...]client education is fundamental and no pet-owning household should be without a tick removal tool. For the overwhelming majority of companion animals the main clinical consequence of a tick bite is a reaction or infection (although incidence studies are lacking). [...]by examining pets, removing ticks appropriately, educating owners and using appropriate tick treatments, unnecessary antibiotic treatment and minor procedures can be avoided.