Ticks and Lyme Disease

This image shows a typical bull's eye rash which can appear in humans at the site of a tick bite after the bacteria which cause Lyme disease have been transmitted. Ticks can also cause a local reaction in pets: inflammation and irritation at the attachment site that can lead to infection and abscessation.

In terms of transmitting infectious diseases to animals and humans, ticks are second only to mosquitoes.⁷ They can also transmit babesiosis to dogs, which can be fatal, highlighting the need to protect against these dangerous parasites.