Ukrainian Journal of Veterinary Sciences

Methods for collecting ixodid ticks to control the spread of vector-borne diseases in domestic dogs

Oksana Kravchuk
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Abstract

The issue of selecting methods for collecting ticks, particularly ixodid ticks, has become important for controlling the spread of vector-borne diseases in domestic dogs, which may carry ticks on their coats into their owners’ homes and pose a risk of transmitting Lyme borreliosis to humans. The aim of the study was to analyse tick collection methods and substantiate their advantages and limitations. The research included analytical-observational, theoretical-modelling, and generalisation-implementation stages. During the analytical-observational stage, it was established that the principal tick collection methods were Dragging, Flagging, CO₂ traps (dry ice/baited traps), Host Examination, and Absolute Surface Counts. At the theoretical-modelling stage, the feasibility of using these methods was justified and the most effective approaches were identified. The study determined the methods that were more suitable for use in Ukraine, as they provided an optimal combination of accessibility, reproducibility, and epizootiological informativeness, while also enabling the acquisition of both quantitative and qualitative indicators concerning population density, species composition, and the intensity of ixodid tick infestation. During the generalisation-implementation stage, two tick collection methods were selected that were convenient to use and required lower material costs. In the course of the practical component of the study, 840 ticks were collected from the Polissia region using these methods, indicating potential risks for the spread of vector-borne diseases. In total, 87 dogs were examined, of which 56 had previously been treated with acaricidal preparations based on pyrethroids and isoxazolines. Dogs of various breeds, aged from 9 months to 12 years, kept under different conditions at the selected research locations, were examined. The study established that the role of domestic dogs as reservoirs of vector-borne infections and mechanical carriers of ixodid ticks is a more effective method for monitoring the spread of tick populations in urban areas than field collection methods such as Dragging

Keywords

vector-borne infections; Lyme borreliosis; acarological monitoring; ectoparasites; veterinary parasitology

Suggested citation
Kravchuk, O. (2026). Methods for collecting ixodid ticks to control the spread of vector-borne diseases in domestic dogs. Ukrainian Journal of Veterinary Sciences, 17(2), 11-25. https://doi.org/10.31548/veterinary2.2026.11
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