The Threat of Vector-Borne Diseases

VBDs are a significant concern, particularly as vector ranges expand and seasonal patterns shift due to climate and environmental changes.¹ Primarily transmitted by mosquitoes and ticks, pathogens such as Dirofilaria immitis, Borrelia burgdorferi, Ehrlichia spp., and Anaplasma spp. can cause serious systemic illness in companion animals.

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While many vector-borne disease cases are subclinical or present with nonspecific signs, undiagnosed VBDs can contribute to chronic morbidity and complicate differential diagnoses. Regular screening, paired with client education and prevention strategies, is essential for effective disease control and public health protection.²

Annual Screening for Vector-Borne Diseases

Annual screening is critical for early detection of VBDs in companion animals. Most dogs infected with Lyme disease, as an example, develop subclinical disease, with only about 5% to 10% developing clinical signs.³ In addition, the majority of dogs in the early stages of heartworm disease show few or no signs.⁴

Regular screening allows veterinarians to:

• Identify infections in the subclinical stage, before serious health issues occur.

• Initiate timely treatment, improving prognosis and reducing long-term complications.

• Prevent disease spread.

• Demonstrate to owners the need for year-round parasite prevention.

Tracking Vector-Borne Disease Prevalence Data in Your Practice

When pet owners see that VBDs aren't theoretical risks but actively affect the local patient population, they're more likely to understand the importance of regular testing. While national and regional data are valuable, clients often respond best to local information. Telling a client, "We've seen five Lyme disease-positive dogs in our practice this month" can have far more impact than quoting national prevalence rates.

Tools you can use to track VBD data include:

• Diagnostic platforms: Certain platforms can track diagnostic results and display practice-level trends in VBD test results.

• Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC): The CAPC prevalence maps provide real-time, county-level data to help illustrate disease risk.

• Practice management software: Practice management software can generate reports on positive diagnostic tests in your practice, pulling VBD-related diagnostics (e.g., heartworm antigen, SNAP tests, PCR panels) over defined periods.

Using Your Vector-Borne Disease Prevalence Data to Educate Clients

Once you collect your practice's data, present it in a clear, digestible manner that's meaningful to clients.

Visual aids

Use simple, focused visual aids, such as graphs or charts, to demonstrate the number of positive test results in your practice over the past 6 to 12 months. You can also show year-over-year rates to illustrate local trends and compare your numbers to state or national trends.

Case studies

Share anonymous stories of local pets who tested positive for VBD despite having no obvious signs. Highlight these cases during appointments, in newsletters, and on social media to emphasize the value of screening and prevention.

For example, "Two months ago, a patient in our practice who had missed a few doses of their parasite prevention tested positive for Lyme disease. Unfortunately, she wasn't diagnosed until the disease caused joint pain and fatigue. A quick screening could have caught the condition sooner."

National comparisons

Help clients understand how your area's risks differ from statistics they read online. For instance, "While the national heartworm incidence is around 1 in 200 dogs, 1 in 20 dogs tested positive in our practice last year."

Overcome Client Hesitation With Data

Pet owners may skip annual VBD testing due to misconceptions. You can use your practice's VBD data to directly address these barriers. Here are a few examples:

• Client misconception: "My cat never goes outside, so she isn't at risk for these diseases."
• Response: "We had two indoor cats test positive for heartworm disease last fall. Mosquitoes and ticks can get indoors more easily than people think."

• Client misconception: "My dog seems perfectly healthy, so I don't need to have him tested."
• Response: "Many of the pets we diagnose with vector-borne diseases show no early signs. Regular testing helps us catch issues before they become serious."

• Client misconception: "You're just trying to make more money."
• Response: "Our goal is prevention as opposed to reaction. We've actually reduced emergency visits in pets whose illnesses were caught early through annual screening."

Integrating data-driven communication into client discussions can be a meaningful way to build trust and improve pet health outcomes. Using your VBD prevalence data to personalize conversations and clearly illustrate the need for screening reinforces your role as a trusted healthcare partner.

When pet owners see that your recommendations are backed by real, local trends, they'll be more likely to understand the risks, feel confident in your guidance, and take action.

References

1. Paz, S. "Climate change: A driver of increasing vector-borne disease transmission in non-endemic areas." PLOS Medicine, 21(4), 2024. https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.

2. "Testing for vector-borne pathogens in dogs: The best use of diagnostic panels." DVM360, 2013. Accessed March 26, 2025. https://www.dvm360.com/view/testing-vector-borne-pathogens-dogs-best-use-diagnostic-panels.

3. "Lyme disease in dogs." American Veterinary Medical Association. Accessed March 26, 2025. https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/lyme-disease-dogs.

4. "Heartworm in Dogs." American Heartworm Society. Accessed March 26, 2025. https://www.heartwormsociety.org/heartworms-in-dogs.

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