tick

tick (tik) a bloodsucking acarid parasite of the superfamily Ixodoidea, divided into soft-bodied ticks and hard-bodied ticks. Some ticks are vectors and reservoirs of disease-causing agents.

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tick (tk)

n.

1. Any of numerous small bloodsucking parasitic arachnids of the families Ixodidae and Argasidae, many of which transmit febrile diseases, such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme disease.

2. Any of various usually wingless, louselike insects of the family Hippobosciddae that are parasitic on sheep, goats, and other animals.

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tick

a blood-sucking arachnid parasite. There are two types, hard and soft. Includes American dog (dermacentorvariabilis), argasid tick, bont (amblyommahebraeum), British dog (ixodescanisuga), brown dog (rhipicephalussanguineus), brown ear (rhipicephalusappendiculatus), brown winter (dermacentornigrolineatus), castor bean (ricinus communis), cayenne (amblyommacajennense), Gulf Coast (amblyommamaculatum), ixodid, lone star (amblyommaamericanum), pajaroello (ornithodoruscoriaceus), red-legged (rhipicephalusevertsi), Rocky Mountain wood (dermacentorandersoni), shingle (syn. moose, dermacentoralbipictus), spinose ear (otobiusmegnini), tropical bont (amblyommavariegatum), yellow dog (haemaphysalisleachi leachi) tick.

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canine tick typhus

see canine ehrlichiosis.

tick collar

a neck collar made of a PVC resin which releases particles of insecticide over a period of several months and aids in the control of tick infestations in companion animals.

tick fever

see babesiosis, anaplasmosis.

hard tick

ticks of the family Ixodidae and members of Ixodes, Boophilus, Margaropus, Hyalomma, Rhipicephalus, Haemaphysalis, Aponomma, Dermacentor, Amblyomma, Rhipicentor spp. They have a hard chitinous shield on the dorsal surface of the body, on the entire back of the male but only the anterior portion of the female.

tick paralysis

the female of several species of ticks but most commonly Ixodes or Dermacentor spp. elaborates a neurotoxin that typically causes an ascending flaccid paralysis in many animal species and humans but particularly in companion animals and young food animals. Affected dogs first develop weakness and paralysis of the hindlimbs, then forelimbs and ultimately respiratory paralysis unless the tick is removed and, in some cases, treatment with hyperimmune serum is given.

tick pyemia

an infection of lambs caused by Staphylococcus aureus and transmitted by the bites of ticks. Newborn lambs die of septicemia or develop signs of arthritis, meningitis or dermatitis. Called also staphylococcal pyemia.

seed tick

see seed tick.

soft tick

ticks of the family Argasidae including Argas, Otobius, Ornithodorus spp. These ticks have no dorsal protective shield.

tick-stained

said of wool or fleece that is heavily discolored by the feces of sheep ked (Melophagus ovinus).

tick toxicosis

see sweating sickness.

tick vectors

ticks act as vectors of protozoa, bacteria, viruses, rickettsia.

tick worry

an all-embracing term to describe the debilitating effects of heavy tick infestations. Includes anemia, irritation by the ticks, local infection as a result of bites, secondary blowfly and screw-worm infestation.