On the BBC website this morning a piece about Babesiosis which we could do with being aware of. It's a variant of Lymes Disease, which is potentially lethal to dogs (and humans apparently). Essex has had some incidences and it's on the increase due to the mild winter. Sounds nasty.

Yes I picked up on part of that.   Whatever next!!   Let's hope we still have a few good hard frosts to kill of some of these bugs and parasites.

I've been aware of this disease for about six months now and had a chat yesterday with the nurse at the vets (who knew nothing about it). Unfortunately the vet wasn't in, but she said she would speak to him about it. I read somewhere that an innoculation called Nobivac Piro can give some cover but not totally and I mentioned this to the nurse. I'm hoping I might be able to speak to him on Friday or at least have a message left. Hubby said there was a piece on BBC news program this morning.
My main worry is that it has been found in a dog in the Essex area which is next to Suffolk where we go frequently a lot of the year. My dog wears a Seresto collar most of the year (it lasts eight months) due to the ticks on the Heath. It works well and seems to deter as well as kill ticks if they get as far as biting her, but I know this won't 100% protect her from this awful disease.

"Babesiosis is the diseased state caused by the protozoal (single celled) parasites of the genus Babesia. Infection in a dog may occur by tick transmission, direct transmission via blood transfer from dog bites, blood transfusions, or transplacental transmission. The most common mode of transmission is by tick bite, as the Babesia parasite uses the tick as a reservoir to reach host mammals. The incubation period averages about two weeks, but symptoms may remain mild and some cases are not diagnosed for months to years. Piroplasms infect and replicate in the red blood cells, resulting in both direct and immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, where the red blood cells (RBCs) are broken down through hemolysis (destruction) and hemoglobin is released into the body. This release of hemoglobin can lead to jaundice, and to anemia when the body cannot produce enough new red blood cells to replace the ones being destroyed. Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia is likely to be more clinically important than parasite-induced RBC destruction, since the severity of the condition does not depend on the degree of parasitemia.

Dogs that spend a lot of time outdoors, especially in wooded areas, at at an increased risk for tick bites and for contracting this parasite. This is especially true in the summer months, from May through September, when tick populations are highest. Being vigilant about tick prevention and removal is the best method for avoiding the onset of Babesiosis."

Click HERE: Babesiosis In Dogs

The pharmaceutical companies have been working on products (for a number of years now) that will protect against the ever increasing threat from parasites etc that the relaxation of quarantine laws are bringing to the UK. The usual products available on the market at this time may not cope with the new threats. I forget now what it is called, but one of my dogs was prescribed one such product a few years back for ticks, when the usual 'tick' product appeared not to work. I must say that I only used one tiny phial and although it was very expensive, I binned the rest. The smell was eye wateringly overpowering and actually made my dog ill. It did kill the ticks though but I would be loathed to have to use such a product on any animal again.

> My dog wears a Seresto collar most of the year (it lasts eight months) due to the ticks on the Heath. It works well and seems to deter as well as kill ticks if they get as far as biting her, but I know this won't 100% protect her from this awful disease.

I have one of those for one of my hounds and a Beaphar one for the other.   I had to take the Seresto collar off him as it was making him a bit red under his chin.   I may dig it out again, in the hope it's still 'active'.   I put it in the tin.

"Symptoms of the disease include lethargy, a lack of appetite, fever, anemia, pale gums, enlarged abdomen, weight loss and jaundice. In a warning to dog walkers, a spokesperson for Harlow council said: "The ticks concerned are extremely rare in Britain and this is the first time that babesia has been found in the tick in the UK. "It is important that dog owners have their pets protected with anti-tick treatment and regularly check their dogs for ticks. Further advice is available from local vets."

Dog owners warned about deadly tick-borne disease

It has also been reported on Sky News http://news.sky.com/story/1660752/dogs-in-uk-at-risk-from-deadly-tick-disease

If only the craze for taking dogs abroad for a holiday or a dog show had not become fashionable, we would not now be facing extra risks for our dogs.  I wouldn't mind betting these ticks were transported to this country on a dog who had been abroad.  I refuse to board any dog who has been abroad for his "holidays."  Not my idea of a holiday anyway to have to worry about the dog wherever I go.  Far better to leave them at home with a friend or relative. "Progress" isn't always progress, is it?

Imo relaxing of the quarantine laws and pet passports was always going to allow this and other disease  and parasites to get here

Absolutely. Another ridiculous relaxing of standards.

It was on chan 5 news yest their was beatful pointer on she had it and needed 4 blood transfusions

I'm not worried about it as my lot are all on bravecto now, I've been using it for almost 2 years now and have only seen the odd tiny dead tick. Previously on frontline we would often still get quite big ticks and I've tried various other collars and remedies too. The important thing is to kill the tick instantly and bravecto seems to be doing that very efficiently.

It is expensive though but I've found a way to make it less so, my 4 dogs are all around 17-19kg but I buy the 20 - 40kg tablets and give them half each. Also my vet does 'buy 3, get the 4th free' so I buy 4 at a time, pay for 3 and that does the 4 dogs for 6 months.