Tick-borne infections in dogs-an emerging infectious threat

Many viral, bacterial and parasitic pathogens have been associated with tick transmission, including several recently identified pathogens in both humans and domestic animals, especially dogs. The emergence in dogs of these tick-borne infections has a multi factorial origin. Better animal care, better diagnostic tools, and a broader distribution of the vectors in favorable habitats through population migrations including travel with owned pets, translocation or commercial trade of pet dogs, are some of the factors contributing to the emergence and recognition of these new pathogens. The present review focuses on the recent epidemiological studies which support the emergence or re-emergence of tick-borne pathogens in dogs around the world, as well as give some insight on newly recognized potentially tick-borne pathogens, such as Bartonella infections.