Less Dogs, Less Ticks
Anita supervises over six staff that oversees the animal control for the reservation.
Summer is quickly upon us and youth of all ages are turning in their books for a well-deserved rest from their studies. Summer break conjures up memories of swimming holes, barbeques, and exploration of the community. Many of these activities are shared with our family, friends, and our four-legged furry friends.
The Reservation Animal Rescue (RAR) program’s Animal Welfare service not only distributes food and supplies that get into the hands of foster families, but it also supports many clinics throughout the Northern Plains and Southwest regions of Indian Country to help Program Partners address the over population of animals on Indian Reservations. With a network of nearly 20 program partners placed on 14 reservations in four states, our reach is wide and well appreciated.
Take for instance Anita Brock and her team of field staff on the San Carlos Apache Tribe in southeastern Arizona. As manager of the Tribe’s Epidemiology Program for SCAT (San Carlos Apache Tribe), Anita supervises over six staff that oversees the animal control for the reservation. When she took on the position, the CDC identified eastern Arizona as a hot bed of activity for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) and this was not an area where RMSF had been previously seen.
Between 2003 and 2010, roughly 140 cases had been reported, and approximately 10% of the people diagnosed with the disease in this part of the state had died.
The brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, is found on dogs and around people’s homes.
The tick responsible for transmission of R. rickettsii in Arizona is the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus), which is found on dogs and around people’s homes. Almost all of the cases occurred within communities with a large number of free-roaming dogs and San Carlos fit this description.
In a 120-day period from March through July 2012, the tribe averaged more than 6 cases per day, with the greatest concentration being among children under the age of 18. With a high mortality rate in Arizona: 18 deaths — 7% Case Fatality rate — from 2003-2012, aggressive action was necessary to reduce this deadly disease. Anita reported that there were five total deaths on San Carlos — three deaths in 2012 alone!
The tribe took aggressive action and funding was secured to combat this deadly disease. The Rodeo Project, which received Tribal Council approval in February 2012 and began the following April, was a collaborative approach among several agencies to reduce the brown dog tick population. There were six primary functions and the RAR program supported the two spay and neuter clinics… less dogs equals less ticks! These primary functions were to:
Although RMSF can occur during any month of the year, the majority of cases reported to the CDC have an illness onset during the summer months and a peak in cases typically occurs in the months of June and July. This seasonality varies somewhat for different regions of the country due to the climate and the tick vectors involved. In Arizona, where transmission is associated with the brown dog tick, peak months of illness onset are April through October.
Although RMSF can occur during any month of the year, the majority of cases reported to the CDC have an illness onset during the summer months.
Anita has studied RMSF and knows that it started in the area around 2001, but says that it was a different vector than the Mid-Atlantic States had known. She knew that she needed to share the information she gathered and had a mass mailing to over 2,200 households on the reservation. A one-page brochure sums up what can be done by dog and homeowners to combat this fast-acting disease and keep families safe. They have a quarterly mailing and they also promote their activities on the radio. Even though the tick season is upon us in the summer, the work had to be present in the communities every month to keep important information in the hands of all the community members.
The San Carlos Apache Tribe has been rewarded with their collective efforts. Anita reported a 300% decrease in Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever! The multi-agency approach with the high rate of community participation made this Rodeo a success.
Thank you for helping to make this happen!