How Vet Techs Can Help with VBD Screening Conversations
Vector-borne diseases (VBDs), including Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, and heartworm disease, are more common than many pet owners realize. Although vector-borne disease is often subclinical, some infections can cause serious illness weeks or months after transmission.
Ticks, mosquitoes, and other vectors can stealthily transmit diseases, silently impacting health long before pet owners recognize a problem. Annual preventive care screening is a simple method of detecting exposure, but owners may hesitate to agree to testing. Veterinary technicians play a critical role in helping to ease client concerns by providing education and answering questions in ways that lead clients to make confident decisions.
Answering Common Questions About Vector-Borne Disease Screening
Veterinary technicians typically interact with pet owners multiple times during a wellness visit, such as by taking a history, discussing the care plan, and reviewing discharge instructions. During these conversations, vet techs may field various questions related to VBD screening.
Technicians should prepare to answer common questions when discussing VBD screening and its importance to overall pet health. Clear, succinct answers that instill confidence in clients can help teams achieve greater testing compliance. Here are a few examples of common questions and how to address them.
Question: I've never seen a tick on my dog. Is it still worth screening?
Answer: Yes! Tick larval stages are so small you're unlikely to see them, and they can transmit diseases just like adult ticks. Ticks can also hide under fur, between toes, or inside ears. Even indoor pets are at risk because ticks can hitch a ride into your home.
The initial symptoms of most VBDs can easily go unnoticed, and your pet could be infected for weeks or months before they develop health issues like joint pain, lethargy, or kidney failure. VBD screening helps us identify silent infections before they threaten your pet's long-term health.
Question: I give my dog their preventives every month. Do I still need to screen them for disease?
Answer: Although modern preventives are highly effective, none are foolproof. Most products kill ticks only after they bite, which is how diseases are transmitted. If your pet misses a dose, protection is compromised. Even if you give the product consistently, failures can occasionally occur.
Question: Will treatment be expensive if my pet tests positive?
Answer: That's a valid concern. Thankfully, treatment in the early stages, before pets develop symptoms, is much simpler and more affordable than treatment for advanced disease. Early diagnosis is key to reducing expense.
Question: How often does my pet need screening?
Answer: We follow recommendations from the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC), which recommends screening most dogs once a year. The test requires only a small blood sample to screen for multiple common diseases, so we can easily add it to your pet's routine wellness blood work. If you frequently see ticks or mosquitoes on your pet, the veterinarian may recommend more frequent screening.
Question: What happens if my pet tests positive?
Answer: A positive test result for a tick-borne disease doesn't necessarily mean your pet is sick or needs treatment; it simply means they've been bitten by an infected tick. A positive for heartworm means that your pet will likely need treatment. What comes next depends on which test came back positive and your pet's health history. The veterinarian may recommend close monitoring, re-testing, or additional screening tests such as a urinalysis and complete blood count. Then, they'll discuss the results with you to decide if your pet needs treatment. Most cases of asymptomatic vector-borne diseases require only a course of antibiotics.
Question: What are the risks of not screening?
Answer: Skipping VBD testing means we could miss a silent infection. Some pets exposed to VBDs recover on their own, but some develop illnesses that can seriously impact future health. For example, dogs exposed to Lyme disease bacteria can develop kidney failure. Other possible complications include chronic joint pain, anemia, or immune-mediated disease. Additionally, for dogs with heartworms, the longer treatment is delayed, the more their heart and lungs may be impacted. Without screening, we must play catch-up to treat a pet after the damage has already begun.
Tools That Can Help Illustrate the Importance of Screening
Tools such as handouts and prevalence maps can help drive home your message to pet owners who need extra encouragement. Try providing the following:
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Client handouts: Choose handouts that explain why VBD screening matters.
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Prevalence maps: CAPC interactive maps show the prevalence of VBDs by region, making the risks more tangible for clients.
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Client engagement tools: Communicate the importance of VBD screening through text reminders, email campaigns, and education portals.
The Case for Vector-Borne Disease Screening
CAPC recommends annual VBD screening for dogs in tick-endemic areas because of the insidious and unpredictable nature of vector-borne diseases. Veterinary technicians can help protect pets by confidently answering client questions, using available tools, and showing concern for each pet's health. Together, we can help clients understand the importance of VBD screening as an investment in their pet's future.
