We are collecting ticks from dogs and cats across the nation. Do you find ticks on dogs or cats? We want to know what species they are and what diseases they might be carrying.
Our Mission
Phase 1- to identify the tick species present on dogs and cats across the United States
Phase 2- to characterize the tick-borne disease agents carried by ticks on dogs or cats in different geographic regions
How it works
- You send us the ticks from your dog or cat with an accompanying submission sheet.
- Ticks arrive in the lab where they are labeled and identified to genus and species.
- We send an email reporting the type of tick and what pathogens it could transmit.
- A subset of ticks will have DNA extracted for PCR to test for pathogens. (Phase 2)
WHAT WE'VE ACHIEVED
- Worked with veterinarians throughout North America identifying ticks from dogs and cats
- Documented presence of tick-borne disease agents in many different species of ticks
- Conducted studies to map the distribution of ticks and tick-borne disease agents in pets across North America
- Described the expanding geographic range of Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections