ABSTRACT
ETIOLOGY AND PATHOGENESIS Based on taxonomic classifications, ticks are generally divided into two Classes: hard (ixodic) and soft (argasid). Most clinical problems are due to infestations with ixodic ticks. Several species are capable of infesting dogs and cats including Rhipicephalus sanguineus (brown dog tick or kennel tick, found worldwide) (235), Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick, wood tick), D. andersoni (Rocky Mountain wood tick), D. occidentalis (Pacific or West Coast tick), D. reticularis (found in Europe) (236), Amblyomma maculatum (Gulf Coast tick), A. americanum (Lone Star tick), Ixodes dammini (deer tick), I. scapularis (black-legged tick), I. pacificus
(hedgehog tick, found in Europe), and I. ricinus (castor bean tick, found in Europe) (237)1-5.
