Tick threats are shifting for UK pets, vets, and public health

Ticks and tick-borne disease risks are shifting in ways that matter for both companion animal practice and public health. In the UK, recent surveillance and research suggest the picture is no longer just about Lyme disease in traditional hotspots. UK Health Security Agency data show 1,581 laboratory-confirmed human Lyme disease cases were reported in 2024, and the agency says that figure likely underestimates the true burden. Newer UKHSA surveillance work also found 27 tick species recorded through the UK Tick Surveillance Scheme from 2021 to 2024, with Ixodes ricinus still the most common tick, while a 2025 study of recreational sites in England and Wales found Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in 5.8% of sampled nymphs, with site-level prevalence ranging from 0% to 30.4%. (gov.uk)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the practical takeaway is that tick risk is becoming more geographically nuanced and potentially less seasonal, while the disease mix is widening. Lyme disease remains the best-known concern, but canine babesiosis continues to shape UK risk assessments because Dermacentor reticulatus populations are established in parts of western Wales, Devon, and Essex, with urban greenspace detections also reported in Essex. A review of the 2015-2016 Essex outbreak concluded that the UK was susceptible to local establishment of Babesia canis where endemic D. reticulatus foci overlap with pet travel and importation pressures. The British Veterinary Association has continued to argue that removing compulsory tick treatments from pet travel rules increased the risk of introducing non-native ticks and vector-borne disease. (researchportal.ukhsa.gov.uk)

What to watch: Expect closer attention to local tick mapping, travel-associated prevention advice, and whether expanding surveillance changes how practices discuss year-round tick control with pet parents. (researchportal.ukhsa.gov.uk)