Unleashing the Facts: The Evolving Risks of Ticks and Tick-Borne Disease

This session will focus on key information about tick biology, distribution, and disease risk—including when and where ticks are active and how they successfully find hosts. It will review the most common North American tick species important to dog and cat health, including new invasive tick species and those with expanding ranges, as well as associated vector-borne pathogens of veterinary and zoonotic importance. Changing geographic distribution, seasonality, species of greatest concern, and risk of pathogen transmission will also be discussed. Diagnostic options for tick-borne diseases and strategies to prevent tick bites and tick-borne diseases will be highlighted.