New research by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) suggests designer dog breeds with curly coats are more susceptible to tick infestations.
Poodle Heritage Increases Tick Infestation Risk
The study found breeds like cavapoos, cockapoos, goldendoodles, and cavachons – all featuring poodle parentage – have a heightened risk due to their inherited coat type. Standard poodles themselves ranked second-highest for tick vulnerability.
Ticks, a common canine (and human) parasite, can transmit serious diseases. They typically reside in woodlands, grasslands, and areas teeming with wildlife.
VetCompass Study Reveals Tick Infestation Rates
The RVC’s VetCompass programme analysed anonymised veterinary records from over 900,000 UK dogs across a five-year period. It revealed that while these trendy designer breeds were more prone to ticks, some established breeds were also at high risk.
Terrier Trouble
These breeds included the cairn terrier, standard poodle, parson russell terrier, golden retriever, and miniature schnauzer. Conversely, Staffordshire bull terriers, rottweilers, chihuahuas, and English bulldogs were among those least likely to encounter tick problems.
The study also revealed male dogs were 1.24 times more susceptible to tick infestations than females.
Dr Dan O’Neill, the lead author, advises owners of poodles or poodle-cross breeds to “be mindful of the need for regular tick checks and consider keeping their coats shorter.”