The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC), a nonprofit that is the leading authority on vector-borne-diseases that impact the lives of pets and people, shared its 2025 Pet Parasite Forecast with a warning that Lyme, heartworm, anaplasmosis, and ehrlichiosis diseases are still spreading through the United States. According to an organizational release, the reports use over 10 million diagnostic tests that are reported every year for its annual forecast to help veterinarians and clients assess the risks of disease in their communities.

“The CAPC maps are an invaluable resource for veterinarians and pet owners,” said Brian Herrin, DVM, PhD, CAPC board president, in the release.

 “These forecasts provide critical insights for both pet and public health, as pets and their owners live and play in the same places. It’s also important to remember that low risk doesn’t mean no risk, so year-round prevention is essential to keeping pets safe from these potentially fatal diseases.”

Since 2012, CAPC has been precise with its forecasting of parasitic diseases with 94% accuracy in predicting the true prevalence of the 4 diseases across the US. In this year’s forecast, CAPC highlighted the continued expansion of pet and human vector-borne diseases geographically, primarily with shifting populations of mosquitoes and ticks.

Within the findings, CAPC stated that tick-borne diseases Lyme and anaplasmosis continue to expand south and west in the US, and the upper Midwest and northeast continue to be more high-risk areas. Ehrlichiosis, which is also spread by ticks, is high still in the southeast, with expansion moving northward in the upper Midwest and New England region.

The forecast also showed that mosquitoes are increasingly spreading heartworm diseases throughout the southeastern US, with highest risks found along the Atlantic coast and northward along the Mississippi River. Because of this spreading, from Kansas to Maryland is now at a heightened risk for heartworm infections, with New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, and Northern California now growing areas of increased risk.

“CAPC’s annual forecasts for Lyme, heartworm, anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis should serve as a call to action for veterinarians and pet owners,” explained Rick Marrinson, DVM, Board member/past president for CAPC and practitioner in Longwood, Florida. “In historically endemic regions, these maps reinforce the importance of continued vigilance in testing and prevention. Meanwhile, in areas where these diseases are emerging, veterinarians should adapt new protocols to address the real and growing threats facing pets and people in their communities.”

The CAPC stated that because of the increasing threats in both endemic and emerging regions, it is crucial to administer preventatives year rounds to pets. Veterinarians are urged to reinforce the prevention of tick and mosquito exposure, assess their pet's risk based on their lifestyle and travel, and utilize vaccination and testing to help mitigate the spread of these diseases.

Besides providing this information to veterinary practices, the forecast also underscores the larger public health implications of vector-borne diseases after a CAPC study confirmed dogs are sentinels for human health, which provides insight into where humans face the greatest risk of Lyme disease.

Each year, the forecast is created by parasitologists and statisticians in academic institutes across the US who conduct ongoing data interpretation and research to collaborate on the creation of the annual forecasts. Through the forecast, those who participate in its creation hope to assist veterinary professionals and pet owners to better understand and monitor vector-borne diseases agent transmission and parasites' changing life cycles.

The CAPC Forecasts have a comprehensive analysis of multiple factors such as temperature, precipitation, and population density to ensure its strongly rooted in evidence.

“Because dog health helps us predict human health, our monthly, county-by-county forecasts are a crucial health tool for communities,” said Christopher Carpenter, DVM, MBA, chief executive officer, CAPC.

“Each year, we see a growing need for education and preventive care to curb the spread of these diseases. By leveraging the power of our extensive canine surveillance data, we help veterinarians and pet owners take proactive steps to safeguard animal and human health. We hope our forecasts spark meaningful conversations about how we can collectively lower disease risk,” he concluded.

Companion Animal Parasite Council 2025 Pet Parasite Forecast Warns Parasitic Diseases Affecting Pets and People Continue to Spread. News release. Companion Animal Parasite Council. April 14, 2025. Accessed April 14, 2025.

Liu Y, Nordone SK, Yabsley MJ, Lund RB, McMahan CS, Gettings JR. Quantifying the relationship between human Lyme disease and Borrelia burgdorferi exposure in domestic dogs. 

. 2019;14(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.4081/gh.2019.750

Articles

This year’s forecast highlights expanding risk of Lyme, Heartworm, Anaplasmosis, and Ehrlichiosis based on 10 million diagnostics tests reported every year 

CAPC releases 2025 Pet Parasite Forecast 

Attendees at the 2024 Fetch dvm360 Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, listen to a presenter. They include 2025 keynote speaker Julia Miller, DVM, DACVD (shown at right in the front row).

 is coming to Nashville, Tennessee; May 30 and 31, 2025. This 2-day event will be held at the Music City Center in the heart of Nashville, only steps away from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. To register, visit 

registration.dvm360.com/fetch-nashville-2025

Attendees can earn up to 14 hours of RACE-approved continuing education (CE) credits in a variety of specialty tracks. Keynote sessions are held in the morning on both days of the conference. These lectures immediately follow breakfast in the exhibit hall and precede a coffee break. In the peer-to-peer lunch sessions, a meal is provided to attendees on a first-come, first-served basis, with limited seating.

Discovering the Delights of Dermatology: One Woman’s Journey Into Derm and How You Will Learn to Love It Too!

Julia Miller, DVM, DACVD, will take attendees along for the ride on a musical and professional journey. She plans to discuss her career, from how she discovered a love of dermatology to providing guidance and inspiring other practitioners to enjoy the specialty as well.

The Top 5 Seismic Things Happening in Animal Care You Need to Know About and Take Action On

Marty Becker, DVM, founder of Fear Free and a World Vets volunteer, and Temple Grandin, PhD, a professor of animal science at Colorado State University and a designer of livestock handling facilities, discuss some of the most important changes that have occurred in animal care in this conversational lecture. They will also provide actionable items for attendees to take away and build on.

Selling Your Practice: Maximizing the Value in a Sale

Sponsored by Monarch Practice Transitions

Kathy Stieh, DVM, MS, executive director of business development for Monarch Business Consulting, presents considerations and steps to getting what practice owners want in an exit strategy for their business, whether it be a sale or a partnership. Key items in maximizing the value of a hospital and the steps to a successful transition will be discussed.

Safeguarding Wealth: Lawsuit Prevention and Tax Strategies

Attendees will be shown how to stop the threat of lawsuits before they get started by protecting assets in time-tested and proven legal structures. These same structures allow individuals to help their tax attorneys save what they would normally pay in income taxes

A look at notable CE sessions during the next Fetch dvm360 conference in Music City

Fetch Nashville 2025 highlights

Officials with the FDA have approved a label expansion for sarolaner, moxidectin and pyrantel chewable tablets (Simparica Trio; Zoetis) to include prevention for flea tapeworm (

) infections in dogs. According to Zoetis, this new approval makes this preventive combination drug the only canine combination parasiticide indicated for flea tapeworm infections by killing vector fleas (

Flea tapeworms are found in canine intestines and transmitted to dogs when fleas carrying tapeworm eggs are accidentally swallowed. They are flat, long, ribbony parasites that can grow up to 11 inches long.

 Flea tapeworm infection can be reduced by controlling fleas to avoid parasite transmission.

Tapeworm infection may be recognizable in dogs by worm eggs or rice-like proglottids found in feces or under the patient’s tail, scooting behavior, and a pet having had a recent infestation of fleas. However, in some cases, there are no clinical symptoms, according to Banfield Pet Hospital. A regiment of regular flea control is one way to help prevent tapeworm infection.

Sarolaner, moxidectin and pyrantel chewable tablets are available with a veterinarian’s prescription. It has been administered to more than 15 million dogs over its 5 years of market availability, according to Zoetis. The combination drug is the first product to provide protection for dogs against a range of parasites that include heartworm, ticks, fleas, roundworms, and hookworms. Additionally, it is the only combination product that is approved by the FDA for 6 tick species, including deer ticks, which provides prevention of infections that may cause Lyme disease.

Understanding and combating heartworm preventive resistance

“The best and easiest way to safeguard our pets from parasites is by taking preventative measures to help reduce or eliminate illness,” Tara Bidgood, DVM, PhD, DACVCP, vice president, head of veterinary professional services and medical affairs, US Independent Petcare at Zoetis, said in a news release.

 “Preventing diseases like flea tapeworm infections with this latest FDA approval for Simparica Trio, helps protect our dogs’ health but also helps strengthen the unique bond dogs share with their owners.”

The FDA approval for the new label expansion is the second for Simparica Trio in recent months, according to Jared Shriver, president, US Operations at Zoetis. In January 2025.

Zoetis previously announced the inclusion of treatment and control of Asian longhorned tick

) infestations in canines aged 8 weeks or older and weighing 2.8 lbs or more.

“Since the FDA approval of Simparica Trio in 2020, we have continued to build on the expansive body of research demonstrating the utility of this important preventative. With Simparica Trio, we are committed to delivering the comprehensive protection that every dog deserves,” Shriver said in a news release.

Mason Reichard, PhD, field parasitologist at Zoetis, noted that the label expansion for Asian longhorned ticks provides veterinarians with a valuable resource for treating and controlling infestation of the invasive tick species. “Ticks pose a significant health risk to pets. Ensuring readily available and efficient tick control options is crucial to safeguarding pets' health, ultimately enabling them to enjoy more quality time with their owners,” Reichard, said in a news release.

label expansions for 2 additional products

 in the past 6 months: sarolaner (Simparica Chewables), and selamectin and sarolaner topical solution (Revolution Plus).

Sarolaner chewables received a label expansion for the treatment of Asian longhorned tick infestations in dogs ages 6 months and older at a weight of 2.8 lbs or more. Selamectin and sarolaner topical solution had its label expanded to include the prevention of tapeworm infections as a direct result of killing vector fleas with indication is for 1 month use in cats and kittens aged 8 weeks and older, and weighing 2.8 lbs or more.

“This latest approval of a new indication for Simparica Trio is yet another example of how Zoetis is an industry leader in developing innovative, next generation parasiticide products and solutions for veterinarians and pet owners,” Shriver said.

FDA approves new indication for Zoetis’ Simparica Trio (sarolaner, moxidectin and pyrantel chewable tablets), now the first and only canine parasiticide to prevent flea tapeworm infections by killing vector fleas. News release. Zoetis. April 14, 2025. Accessed April 14, 2025. 

https://www.zoetisus.com/news-and-media/fda-approves-new-indication-for-zoetis-simparica-trio/

Tapeworms in dogs and cats. Banfield Pet Hospital. Accessed April 14, 2025. 

https://www.banfield.com/Wellness-at-banfield/Worms/Tapeworm

Crossley KC. FDA expands labels for 3 parasite prevention and treatment therapies. 

. January 14, 2025. Accessed April 14, 2025. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/fda-expands-labels-for-3-parasite-prevention-and-treatment-therapies

The FDA has approved the new indication for Zoetis' Simparica Trio

Combination parasiticide receives label extension to include flea tapeworms

Happy Monday dvm360 readers! We are so excited to be almost a month away from our next conference, Fetch Nashville. Did you know that we are offering multiple complimentary hands-on labs at Fetch Nashville? Our labs include:

Bandaging Lab: Modified Robert Jones and the Art of the Tie-Over

Each lab is free, but the space is limited so make sure you 

 today to secure your spot at the show and in these amazing free hands-on labs, plus our lectures with key industry leaders, networking opportunities with fellow attendees, and some other fun surprises along the way.

While you register for Fetch Nashville, check in on dvm360.com throughout the week to see these news stories:

The Companion Animal Parasite Council shared its 2025 Pet Parasite Forecast. The forecast is created based on 10 million diagnostic tests reported each year, and this year’s forecast high expanding risks of Lyme, Heartworm, Anaplasmosis, and ehrlichiosis.

FDA officials announced today that they have approved a label expansion for sarolaner, moxidectin and pyrantel chewable tablets (Simparica Trio; Zoetis) to include prevention for flea tapeworm (Dipylidium caninum) infections in canine patients.

On this week’s episode of The Vet Blast Podcast presented by dvm360, Karl Maritato, DVM, DACVS-SA, and a former dvm360 Veterinary Hero, joins host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA to chat about how to approach the cranial cruciate ligament canine patient.

OS Therapies announced positive data in the prevention or delay of amputation during the treatment of primary osteosarcoma for OST-HER2 combined palliative radiation in canines with unresected appendicular osteosarcoma.

Jillian Haines, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (SAIM), from Washington State University, is currently working, and has become internationally recognized, for her efforts to better understand, manage, and treat a rare and often fatal condition in dogs and cats known as megaesophagus.

Here is a sneak peek at this week’s headlines 

Sneak peek: FDA approves new label indication for Simparica Trio, and other news 

Separation anxiety is a common condition managed by small animal veterinarians that is typically treated with a combination of behavior modification and pharmaceuticals. Several medications are available for treating this condition, and veterinarians should create a customized plan based on each patient’s individual needs. In a continuing education session at the 2025 Fetch dvm260 Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, Christopher Pachel, DVM, DACVM, CABC (IAABC), of the Animal Behavior Clinic in Portland, Oregon, shared his tips for identifying which patients need treatment and how to choose the appropriate medications.

Before prescribing medication, the diagnosis of separation anxiety should be confirmed. Some pets can have problematic behaviors that occur while the owners are away that are not caused by anxiety. In making the diagnosis, Pachel stated “video is not optional. It is absolutely required.” Reviewing videos of the patient at home confirms the diagnosis based on the observed behaviors and provides objective data that can be used for tracking response to treatment, including latency between owner departure and problematic behavior, the frequency of the behavior, and the pitch of vocalization.

When deciding what medication is best, it is important to consider where and when problematic behaviors occur. From a patient’s perspective, life can be broken into 4 parts:

Patients may exhibit problematic behaviors at a single point or multiple times during this cycle.

Asking specific history questions will help to identify “the support your patient actually needs,” said Pachel. Important information to collect from owners include the following:

Are there other fear, anxiety, or arousal/reactivity issues that we also need to treat?

How feasible is it to medicate the patient?

Is there advanced notice of the owner’s departure for the pet?

Is the owner’s departure schedule predictable and routine?

How exuberant is the pet when the owner returns?

How long does the enthusiastic greeting last before the pet returns to baseline?

How has the pet responded to behavior modification in the past?

Pachel noted that “you won’t always have time to get all these details,” but it is helpful to have this information to pick the best possible medication from the job that is needed. Pachel suggested using a printed questionnaire to collect as much information as possible.

Ultimately, the first choice that needs to be made is whether a maintenance, situational, or adjunctive medication is needed. In some cases, medications may need to be combined from different categories to achieve the desired treatment goal.

Maintenance medications are typically needed when departures are frequent, unavoidable, or unpredictable. Additional reasons to select maintenance medication include having a concurrent diagnosis that may benefit from medication use or when consistent medication administration is easiest for the owner. These medications have a long time to onset, which can be anywhere from 1 to 6 weeks depending on the medication. It is essential to set appropriate expectations on efficacy for the owner.

Situational medications are best for predictable, infrequent, avoidable departures that have a window of lead-up time to allow for onset of action. These medications have a much faster onset of action, usually 15 minutes to 2 hours. However, they do not work as well for daily use due to their short half-life.

“We don’t always have to reach for pharmaceuticals,” Pachel said. There are numerous supplements that can be considered as well, particularly in mild cases. Gabapentin is also used as an adjunctive treatment, but Pachel does not recommend using it as a sole agent.

Multiple classes of medications are available for separation anxiety treatment, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), tricyclic antidepressants, and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI). Two FDA-approved drugs are available for separation anxiety in dogs. “If you have an FDA-approved strategy, you usually start there,” Pachel said, “but there are a lot of good reasons that these may not be the best medication” for an individual pet.

SSRIs have extensive anecdotal experience behind their use and are effective for fear and anxiety as well as impulsivity and arousal. When it comes to separation anxiety, many veterinarians think of fluoxetine first. Pachel noted that “fluoxetine is not a bad choice, but it is not always the best choice.” There is an FDA-approved fluoxetine product called Reconcile (PRN Pharmacal), but it can be expensive as a brand name, which should be discussed with the owners. However, Pachel has seen some patients have a better response to the brand name. He recommended starting the brand name for 1 to 3 months if it is in the owner’s budget to see if the drug works before attempting to transition to the generic drug.

Fluoxetine may have a negative impact on appetite, which may be beneficial in cases of food arousal and resource guarding. However, this could also affect the ability of food to help with training. Additional SSRIs include paroxetine, which is less likely to cause anorexia, and sertraline, which tends to have the least number of adverse effects, though may be less successful at treating concurrent conditions with fear and arousal.

The second FDA-approved medication for canine separation anxiety is clomipramine, a TCA that also works well for patients with concurrent impulsivity or anxiety conditions. This medication has more anticholinergic adverse effects and may cause transient sedation.

The final option for maintenance medications is venlafaxine, which is a SNRI. The neurotransmitters most affected by the drug vary by the dosage. At low doses, this drug behaves only as an SSRI. Effects on norepinephrine are not seen until higher doses. Pachel does not recommend this currently as a first-line treatment and noted that there are more adverse effects present during onboarding.

There are several options for situational medications. However, regardless of which drug is chosen, Pachel recommends administering a trial dose of these medications when the owner is home to monitor for side effects. Then the medication can be trialed in a situation where the patient experiences their fear, anxiety, and/or stress to fine tune dose and frequency. Owners should observe when the medication’s onset of action occurs and how long it appears to help their pet to determine medication frequency.

Medications that may be considered as situational medications include trazodone, clonidine, benzodiazepines, dexmedetomidine oromucosal gel (Sileo; Zoetis), and acepromazine. Although Sileo is an FDA-approved canine product, its use in the treatment of separation anxiety is off-label. There is no short-term, situational medication that is FDA-approved for separation anxiety at this time.

When choosing which medication to prescribe, important considerations include adverse effects, potential for interaction with concurrent medications, and onset of action. For instance, Pachel noted that benzodiazepines have the fastest onset of action and are best for a true panic reaction, but they typically have more side effects, including polyphagia and paradoxical excitation.

The combination of behavior modification and pharmaceuticals can greatly improve the quality of life for patients with separation anxiety and their owners. It is important to confirm the diagnosis and learn as much information as possible about the individual patient’s behaviors to select the best medication(s).

Maintenance medications need to be given daily and have a longer onset of action, but they are great for clients with unpredictable, irregular, and potentially chaotic departures or patients who need support for multiple behavioral conditions. Situational medications have a quick onset of duration but short action and are best for short, infrequent, and predictable departures. In some patients, both types of medication are needed.

Ultimately, selecting the best medication for an individual patient requires clear communication with the owner to get a realistic picture of what drug is best and what the client should expect when it comes to treatment.

, is a 2013 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, a practicing veterinarian and freelance speaker and author in western Pennsylvania. She is passionate about mentorship, spectrum of care, and addressing common sources of stress for veterinary teams and recent graduates. Outside of clinical practice, Dr. Boatright is actively involved in organized veterinary medicine.

Pachel C. Prescribing for separation anxiety: how do you decide? Presented at Fetch dvm360 Conference: Charlotte, NC. March 15, 2025.

Treating separation anxiety requires behavioral modification and medication, but which drug should you choose?

Medical management considerations for separation anxiety

Koalas have a highly specialized diet composed mainly of eucalyptus leaves. Although eucalyptus is normally toxic to most animals, koalas have a specialized organ called the caecum that allows them to break down the fibrous leaves. Although koalas don’t have much competition for their food source, many factors put this population at risk of extinction.

The eastern and southern forests of Australia are home to koalas. This habitat is being destroyed by human deforestation as well as an increase in wildfires. Koalas are being forced from their habitats, seeking smaller patches of trees farther away from humans and as dogs, another major threat to their survival.

Being confined to smaller, more isolated forest areas has increased inbreeding within the species. This has resulted in an erosion of genetic diversity, reducing their ability to adapt to environmental threats. All of these factors are decreasing the koala’s ability to survive and thrive.

Through the efforts by the Austrian Federal and New South Wales Governments, researchers have gained more insight into the koala population’s genetics. Studies have shown that Victoria, Australia (Southern Australia) had the highest level of inbreeding. Additionally, many koalas in these regions are suffering from various diseases.

A leading infectious disease in koalas is 

. It has become one of the key factors in the population decline, particularly in South-East Queensland and New South Wales.

 Chlamydial disease can cause inflammation, tissue fibrosis, urinary tract disease, and reproductive complications. In a population that is already dwindling, a disease that can lead to reduced fertility or infertility can become devastating.

Pain relief for koalas: a study on acetaminophen use

Currently, investigators are studying the use of doxycycline 5 mg/kg every 7 days subcutaneously and chloramphenicol 60 mg/kg once daily subcutaneously for a duration of 28 days as treatment for chlamydial disease in koalas.Currently, investigators are studying the use of doxycycline 5 mg/kg every 7 days subcutaneously and chloramphenicol 60 mg/kg once daily subcutaneously for a duration of 28 days as treatment for chlamydial disease in koalas.

 However, studies conducted in 2023 following the 

 have shown that koalas are developing genetic resistance to both antibiotics. This study showed that fire-effect koalas had the highest frequency of antibiotic resident genes at 16.8%.

Considerable efforts by the University of Sunshine Coast Animal Ethic Committee are focused on developing new vaccines for koalas. Researchers are not only a vaccine for chlamydia prevention, but also a exploring a combination vaccine for chlamydia and Koala Retrovirus (KoRV)-an infection linked to increasing rates of chlamydiosis and cancer.

 Although these studies show promising results, progression of studies may lead towards a more effective vaccine.

Koalas face a growing number of threats-from habitat loss and inbreeding to infectious diseases and antibiotic resistance.

 With multiple organizations contributing ongoing research and conservational effort, there is hope for the survival of this species. Continued support and awareness are key to preserving the lineage of the koala for generations to come.

Samantha Gorski is a PharmD candidate studying veterinary pharmacy at the University of Connecticut in Storrs.

Interesting Facts About Koalas. Friends of the Koala. January 15, 2025. Accessed April 4, 2025. https://friendsofthekoala.org/about-koalas/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhr6_BhD4ARIsAH1YdjAxDODH1D5o3xzXyB8mTHtMRsFmLPm9zlhb8Xu3UJpNsTflxCPctIwaAtQREALw_wcB ‌

McLennan EA, Kovacs TGL, Silver LW, et al. Genomics identifies koala populations at risk across eastern Australia. 

Chen CJ, Casteriano A, Green AC, Govendir M. A retrospective study on antibacterial treatments for koalas infected with Chlamydia pecorum. 

. 2023;13(1):12670. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-39832-w

National Koala Disease Risk Analysis Report Version 1.2. May 2023. Accessed April 11, 2025. https://wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au/Portals/0/ResourceCentre/BiosecurityMgmt/KDRA%20Report%20v1.2_FINAL.pdf ‌

McDougall FK, Boardman WSJ, Speight N, et al. Carriage of antibiotic resistance genes to treatments for chlamydial disease in koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus): A comparison of occurrence before and during catastrophic wildfires. McDougall FK, Boardman WSJ, Speight N, et al. Carriage of antibiotic resistance genes to treatments for chlamydial disease in koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus): A comparison of occurrence before and during catastrophic wildfires. 

. 2023;17:100652. doi:10.1016/j.onehlt.2023.100652

Quigley BL, Timms P, Nyari S, McKay P, Hanger J, Phillips S. Reduction of Chlamydia pecorum and Koala Retrovirus subtype B expression in wild koalas vaccinated with novel peptide and peptide/recombinant protein formulations. 

. 2023;14:100329. doi:10.1016/j.jvacx.2023.100329

Chlamydia pecorum has become a key factor in the decline of this marsupial population in Australia.