Repelling ticks before they bite is essential: APVMA grants emergency permitfor Seresto to reduce the transmission of Ehrlichia canis to dogs by browndog ticks

Australia, 24 June 2021: While Covid 19 has dominated our thoughts andheadlines over the last year, the arrival of Ehrlichia canis (or“ehrlichiosis”) has been devastating dog populations in northern Australia andis spreading rapidly across the country. As more pets than ever join familyholidays and cross borders, preventing its spread is critical. The APVMA hasgranted an emergency permit to Seresto to help reduce transmission of thisnotifiable disease.

Since first detected in May 2020, ehrlichiosis has been confirmed in over 500dogs across northern Australia and some parts of South Australia and New SouthWales. Numbers are likely to be an underestimate as veterinary access to theworst affected regions has been difficult. According to veterinary technicalexperts i , this means many dogs have died without testing or treatment.

The disease is caused by a bacterium, Ehrlichia canis , spread between dogsby the brown dog tick ( R. sanguineus ). Unlike some other tick-bornediseases, Ehrlichia canis can be transmitted rapidly – within three hours ofa single tick bite.

Repelling ticks before they bite is therefore essential. That’s why the APVMAhas granted a permit (APVMA; PER90869) allowing the Seresto Collar for Dogs tobe used to “reduce the transmission of the tick-borne disease caused by thepathogen Ehrlichia canis , thereby reducing the risk of transmission ofcanine ehrlichiosis between dogs by brown dog ticks”.

While most tick products that rely on ticks biting the treated dog are highlyeffective at killing ticks, studies have shown that topically-acting productsthat repel ticks are essential to prevent infection.

All tick protection products have an important role to play in preventinginfected ticks from spreading, but only a small handful of products canprevent ticks from biting.

Seresto for Dogs is a long-lasting, water-resistant collar containingimidacloprid and flumethrin that repels ticks and kill fleas and ticks oncontact. Seresto is registered to reduce the risk of transmission of two othertick-borne diseases known to infect Australian dogs, anaplasmosis andbabesiosis.

Studies have shown that Seresto also reduces the transmission of Ehrlichiacanis in dogs. This is a registered product claim in other countries.

For more details about Ehrlichiosis, contact your State Veterinary Authority,the National Pest and Disease Outbreaks website, the Animal Management inRural and Remote Indigenous Communities (AMRRIC) website, or the AustralianVeterinary Association website. For information about Seresto for Dogs,contact Elanco on Tel 02-98787777 or visit the Advantage Pet Care website .

Previous RSPCA NSW COVID-19 UPDATE

Next Cats are too socially inept to be loyal