You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Tick bites can transmit diseases to you or to your pets so avoid areas where ticks are known to be present, and wear protective clothing

Several diseases (eg Lyme Disease in the UK) are carried by ticks and can be transmitted by bites to pets or to people. Some of the more serious diseases (eg Mediterranean Spotted Fever - also called Boutonneuse Fever) are seen in people travelling back from Mediterranean countries including the South of France and Spain. Signs include fever, headaches, pain when looking at a bright light, diarrhoea, weight loss and skin sores.

There is no vaccination against this particular disease (which is caused by an organism called Rickettsia conorii) , so preventative measures should be taken. Ask locally about known tick-infested areas and avoid them. These will be woodlands, and areas where small rodents are common such as crop fields. If you do have to walk in countryside wear protective clothing - such as long trousers.

If you or your pet are bitten by a tick remove it as soon as possible to reduce the chance of disease being transmitted. A special tick-removing device is helpful to do this whilst minimising the transfer of blood from the tick into the host.

Mediterranean Spotted Fever is a zoonosis which you can catch from your dog as well as from a tick bite...so take precautions and seek veterinary attention promptly if your dog is taken ill on holiday or soon after you return.

Updated October 2013