244: Companion Animal Parasite Council Releases 2023 Forecast

<div>Spring is here and that means more time outdoors with our beloved pets. This also means potential risk for parasitic diseases transmitted by ticks and mosquitos which can be deadly to pets and harmful to humans. Parasite infections are real and the risk is higher than ever. How to keep everyone safe? Veterinarians and members of the <a href="https://petdiseasealerts.org/"><strong>Companion Animal Parasite Council</strong></a> Dr. Rick Marrinson and Dr. Kathryn Sarpong share the findings from the 2023 National Parasite Forecast and how to protect your pets.  <br> <br> The Companion Animal Parasite Council, or CAPC, is a non-profit board made up of veterinary parasitologists and practitioners. Their mission is to inform veterinarians and educate pet families about parasitic diseases that threaten the health of pets and their people. Every month, in alignment with that mission, CAPC publishes 30-day pet parasite forecasts at <a href="https://petdiseasealerts.org/"><strong><a href="http://petdiseasealerts.org">petdiseasealerts.org</a></strong></a>. These are prediction maps, much like weather or pollen forecasts and highlight the parasite risks down to the county level. Additionally, every April CAPC releases its annual National Parasite Forecast. This year they are emphasizing the risks of Lyme disease.<br> <br> The big news from the 2023 annual forecast is that the risk of Lyme disease is on the rise and has spread into new parts of the country.  All the areas of red and orange on the map indicate high levels of Lyme disease.  Lyme disease is considered zoonic, which means it is a disease that can affect both animals and people. In many ways, dogs are the indicator for human disease. Far more dogs than humans are tested each year for Lyme disease, so we have much more data about the amount of Lyme in dogs.  But research by CAPC’s parasitologists has proven that the incidence of disease in dogs, parallels Lyme disease in humans.<br> <br> The forecast map speaks directly to the risk for both dogs and people. It