Reports from colleagues around midwestern U.S. states indicate tick populations are thriving. Tick distributions are dynamic and ever-changing, and practice protocols often need to evolve to meet the growing threat ticks pose to pet health, writes Holly Morss, LVT.
Morss discusses teaching staff members to address tick borne disease using the 3-R’s:
- Review the topic of concern
- discuss the current Recommendation(s)
- form a plan to Relay the information.
Every team member, from those at the front desk to those in the boarding kennels, should understand tick-borne disease enough to convey their importance, answer client questions and communicate the practice’s preventive recommendations.”
Source: Today’s Veterinary Nurse, Summer 2019. Link. Tick-borne disease is an often underemphasized but core part of companion animal health. It is up to the entire veterinary team to broach this important topic with our clients and to help them understand why tick preventives are an integral part of a pet’s comprehensive wellness plan.
INSIGHTS: Morss’ assertions are especially applicable to interactions in 2021. Consider how the pandemic, new staff and new pet owners have disrupted internal team education and the client education messages about ticks.