Urban tick exposure on Staten Island is higher in pet owners

Abstract

Over the past decade, Lyme and other tick-borne diseases have expanded into urban areas, including Staten Island, New York. While Lyme disease is often researched with a focus on human risk, domestic pets are also at risk of contracting the disease. The present study aims to describe differences in tick exposure, knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) between pet owners and non-owners, and to understand preventive strategies practiced by pet owners for themselves and their pets. We conducted KAP surveys via phone in 2020 and via face-to-face interviews in 2021, and we analyzed unique responses from 364 households on Staten Island. Pet owners were more likely to have ever found a tick on themselves or their household members (63%) than non-owners (46%) (p<0.001). Among pet owners, those who owned dogs (dog-only or both dog and cat owners) were more likely to have ever found a tick on their pets than cat-only owners (p<0.001). Compared with non-pet owners, pet owners were more likely both to know that ticks transmit Lyme disease (p<0.001) and to avoid gardening to reduce their tick exposure (p = 0.032), but they were less likely to wear protective clothing or adjust clothing (p = 0.013). Compared with cat owners who had never found a tick on their cats, cat owners who had ever found a tick on their cats were more likely to let their cats go outside (p<0.001). However, reported preventive measures on cats did not differ between pet owners who did and did not report tick exposure. The results indicate that encouraging pet owners to engage in preventative measures, both to protect themselves and their pets, is a potential avenue for healthcare providers and veterinarians to reduce risks from ticks.