Brown Dog Ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus)
Importance
The brown dog tick is primarily a pest in the southern United States. In the Northeast, it can become established in homes and kennels. This tick is almost exclusively a parasite of dogs, but is annoying because it is often seen crawling up walls or across home furnishings. It is has also been implicated as a vector of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Canine Ehrlichiosis. This is probably one of the most widespread of all tick species. Rhipicephalus sanguineus is found in practically all countries between 50 degrees N and 35 degrees S latitude, including most of the USA and parts of southeastern Canada.
Biology
Adults are found most often in the ears and between the toes of dogs. Larvae and nymphs attach frequently in the long hair at the back of the neck. The female tick deposits her eggs in cracks and crevices of near dog resting spots. The male tick can often be found mating with the females while they are feeding. This tick, as do most ticks, has a strong tendency to crawl upwards: hence, it is often found hiding along the underside of window frames or on curtains. The eggs hatch in 20 - 30 days, depending on the temperature. The life cycle corresponds to that of other three-host ticks, that is each stage (larva, nymph and adult) must feed on a dog before dropping to the ground and molting to the next stage. Indoors these engorged ticks usually make their way into the cracks and crevices near baseboards or in the floor. The entire life cycle can take as little as a few months to be completed.
Control
Successful brown dog tick control requires a three step program consisting of: 1) sanitation, 2) tick control on the premises with acaricides, and 3) tick control on the dog. The infested home or kennel should be thoroughly cleaned to eliminate as many of the ticks as possible. Pet bedding and resting areas should be given special attention. The infested dog should be treated by a veterinarian on the same day that the premises are being treated. The premises occupied by the dog can then be treated with residual sprays or dusts. Remember, these ticks like to reside in the upper portions of structures and in cracks and crevices. Several pesticides are labeled for tick control including allethrin, bendiocarb, carbaryl, chlorpyrifos, esfenvalerate, and permethrin (or other pyrethrins).
Page Last Updated: 2/2/2015 8:34:00 AM