Kingdom Animalia Subclass Acari Family Ixodidae Scientific name Rhipicephalus sanguineus Higher classification Rhipicephalus | Phylum Arthropoda Order Parasitiformis Genus Rhipicephalus Rank Species | |
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Similar Rhipicephalus, Dermacentor, American dog tick, Ixodes ricinus, Ixodes | ||
The brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus), commonly called kennel tick, or pan-tropical dog tick, is a species of tick which is found worldwide, but more commonly in warmer climates. This species is unusual among ticks in that its entire life cycle can be completed indoors.
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Hosts
Rhipicephalus sanguineus will feed on a wide variety of mammals, but dogs are the preferred host in the U.S., and the population can reach pest proportions in houses and kennels.
Medical importance
R. sanguineus is one of the most important vectors of diseases in dogs worldwide. In the United States, R. sanguineus is a vector of the diseases in dogs: canine ehrlichiosis (Ehrlichia canis) and canine babesiosis (Babesia canis). In dogs, symptoms of canine ehrlichiosis include lameness and fever; those for babesiosis include fever, anorexia and anemia. R. sanguineus has not been shown to transmit the bacteria that causes Lyme disease in humans. In parts of Europe, Asia and Africa, it is a vector of Rickettsia conorii, known locally as Mediterranean spotted fever, boutenneuse fever, or tick typhus.
R. sanguineus can also transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever in humans in the southwestern United States.
Management
The best management strategy is prevention of infestations in the house or kennel. In addition, the earlier the infestation is discovered, the easier it is to control. Regular grooming and inspection of pets is essential to management, especially when dogs have been quartered or have interacted with other dogs.
Distribution
Cosmopolitan species, can be found in Benin, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Ivory Coast, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, France, French Guiana, Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Martinique, Mauritania, Mexico, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands (U.S.), Zambia, Zimbabwe.