Tick-borne disease risk is shifting for UK veterinary teams

The threat from ticks and tick-borne diseases is changing in ways that matter directly to small animal practice. In the UK, Lyme disease remains the best-known tick-borne infection, but babesiosis and other vector-borne pathogens are forcing a broader rethink of risk, especially as domestic transmission is no longer purely theoretical. Recent guidance and surveillance updates point to a more dynamic picture shaped by climate, ecology, pet travel, imports, and shifting tick distribution. (esccapuk.org.uk)

That shift has been building for years. ESCCAP’s vector-borne disease guidance notes that climatic and ecological changes, along with increased pet travel and translocation, can expand endemic areas and change disease frequency across Europe. In the UK context, one of the clearest examples has been canine babesiosis: UKHSA and APHA documented the emergence of Babesia canis in southern England after confirming infections in dogs from Harlow, Essex, that had no history of travel outside the country, with Dermacentor reticulatus identified as the vector. (esccapuk.org.uk)

The immediate clinical concern is that familiar assumptions may no longer hold. BSAVA highlighted research published in 2023 showing that while many UK dogs with tick-borne disease had traveled abroad, some dogs with babesiosis or ehrlichiosis had not, suggesting local transmission from resident ticks is possible. That means imported disease remains important, but it’s no longer sufficient to use travel history alone as a gatekeeper for suspicion. (veterinary-practice.com)

The wider surveillance picture supports that more cautious approach. ESCCAP UK & Ireland’s 2025 Parasite Forecast describes an “increasingly complex parasite landscape” and flags endemic tick-borne encephalitis virus in parts of the UK, including Thetford Forest, East Anglia, and the Hampshire-Dorset border, with 2% to 3% of local ticks carrying the virus in those areas. The same forecast argues for targeted prevention strategies over routine blanket treatment, reflecting a broader shift toward lifestyle- and geography-based parasite risk assessment. (esccapuk.org.uk)

Industry and expert messaging has followed the same direction. BSAVA has urged vets to stay alert for tick-borne disease in dogs with compatible signs and laboratory abnormalities, particularly in imported or traveled dogs, but also in dogs with no travel history because local transmission can occur. Separately, CVS has launched a lifestyle parasite risk assessment program to support risk-based prescribing, while BVA, BSAVA, and BVZS have also updated policy positions around responsible parasiticide use amid environmental concerns over some flea and tick products entering waterways. Together, those developments suggest the profession is balancing two pressures at once: rising vector-borne risk and growing scrutiny of routine prophylactic use. (veterinary-practice.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary teams, this is a surveillance and workflow story as much as a parasitology story. Dogs presenting with pyrexia, lethargy, anaemia, thrombocytopenia, shifting-leg lameness, neurologic signs, or unexplained multisystem disease may warrant a broader vector-borne differential than they did a decade ago, even without foreign travel. Preventive conversations with pet parents may also need to become more nuanced, incorporating local habitat exposure, imported-animal history, travel plans, seasonality, and public health considerations around zoonotic pathogens such as Lyme disease. (esccapuk.org.uk)

There’s also a One Health angle that extends beyond companion animal medicine. In the U.S., new research from Binghamton University found some farmers and outdoor workers in Vermont reported up to 70 tick encounters over six months, underscoring how rapidly tick exposure is intensifying in rural settings and how occupational and animal health risks can overlap. While that study is not UK-specific, it aligns with the same broader pattern: tick pressure is rising, exposure is widening, and surveillance needs to keep pace. That’s an inference from parallel evidence across regions, rather than a direct UK finding, but it adds context to why veterinary vigilance is increasing. (binghamton.edu)

What to watch: The next phase is likely to center on better local surveillance, clearer mapping of UK tick habitats and pathogens, and more refined guidance on when to test, when to treat, and how to tailor prevention without defaulting to blanket protocols. Expect more discussion around domestically acquired cases, seasonal forecasting, and risk-based parasite control as practices adapt their recommendations for both animal and public health. (esccapuk.org.uk)