Commentary
Art Parola, a pet industry consultant, recently wrote the column, Why Cattleman Should Care About Dog Import Legislation, for Drovers. He highlights the real risk of Bont ticks being imported while attached to dogs coming into the U.S., especially those from the Caribbean region. It is highly infested with heartwater for which hont ticks are vectors.
Heartwater is a ricketsettial disease that infects cattle, sheep, goats and other ruminants and kills them within hours of symptom development. Parola says if heartwater were to arrive here, it could spell trouble for the U.S. protein supply.
Source: Drovers, May 15, 2020. Link. Dogs are one of the animals suspected of having transported the Asian longhorn tick intro the country from Asia. . . . the species has now been detected in at least 12 states.
INSIGHTS: Parola highlights H.R. 6921, the Health Dog Importation Act, which is supported by the National Animal Interest Alliance, American Kennel Club and the American Veterinary Medical Association. Read an overview of heartwater in the Merck Veterinary Manual. Link.