TICK TALK: The Asian longhorned tick has been in the States since 2017 and is spreading

Like most of us, I'm not a fan of ticks. They're bloodsuckers, for starters, and they spread illnesses like Lyme disease to pets and people.

So when I heard about a new tick species rapidly spreading in the United States, my initial response was dread. But I'm also a "mama bear" who wants to protect her dogs, so I decided to learn more about the Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis).

The Asian longhorned tick was first identified in the United States in 2017 on a sheep in New Jersey; at the time of this writing, it has spread to 18 states, according to Kathryn Duncan, DVM, Ph.D., DACVM (Parasitology), a parasitology expert for Merck Animal Health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, those states are Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

"I think when everyone hears there's a new tick in the United States, or (an) invasive tick or exotic tick, it definitely gets your attention," Duncan says. "The Asian longhorned tick does go as far west as Arkansas and Missouri, which is important because it means it's made it over the mountains. So once it hits these states with a lot of cattle, people are really going to worry."

It's a worry because the Asian longhorned tick transmits bacterial, viral and protozoan disease agents, including the protozoa that causes babesiosis; infected dogs become suddenly sick with fever and can die without treatment.

While there have been no reports in the United States, the Department of Agriculture says the longhorned tick is known to transmit the agents of certain livestock and human diseases in other countries, including anaplasmosis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, theileriosis and rickettsiosis, as well as several viruses.

This new tick is "not a picky eater," says Duncan, and will attach to dogs, cats, humans, cows and other animals. It's also spreading fast because it doesn't need a mate to reproduce.

"What's unique about this tick is that we have no males so far in our country," she explains. "She reproduces asexually, so one female tick can make a population extremely quickly. What we've seen is massive spread, and where she does create an infestation, it's significant."

These ticks thrive in warmer months through fall, and aren't confined to the woods, she cautions. They can live in urban areas in a backyard lawn — even if you cut your grass short.

Check dogs carefully for ticks. The arachnids will attach anywhere, but pay particular attention to toe pads, armpits and ears. Duncan grew up in Tennessee with all sorts of tick removal "folklore," but says the best way to remove ticks is to avoid regurgitation by using tweezers to pull straight up. (Don't light a match, blow it out and touch it to the tick's rear end so that it "screams" and releases, as this author mistakenly did years ago.)

If possible, wrap the tick in a piece of clear tape and put it in an empty pill bottle with a good lid, she advises.

"If your dog or you — depending on who you take it off of — develop any signs of tickborne diseases within a couple weeks, you can take that tick to your doctor or veterinarian, and it may help them know what is causing you to have those symptoms," she advises.

If you aren't up to saving the tick, don't flush it down the toilet; live ticks can crawl out, Duncan warns. Instead, wrap it in tape and throw it in the trash.

Ideally you should discuss tick prevention with your veterinarian before that point.

"Talk to your veterinarian," Duncan recommends. "They are your greatest resource for information about what's going on."

Find out more about tick prevention here: uexpress.com/pets/pet-connection/2013/10/14.

— By Jen Reeder

Guest writer Jen Reeder is past president of the Dog Writers Association of America.

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker. Pet Connection is produced by veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, journalist Kim Campbell Thornton, and dog trainer/behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. ©2023 Andrews McMeel Syndication

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Pet Connection: Asian Longhorned tick is spreading across America