Tick fears as dog dies from bite

Janet Hunt walks another of her dogs after Caffreys died

Scientists believe a tick which can kill dogs has spread to the British mainland after a dog in Kent was bitten by the insect and died.

Janet Hunt, from Ashford, said she used to walk her dog Caffreys near railway lines used by Eurostar trains. Foreign trucks also park alongside the paths.

Caffreys died from the blood-born disease babesia, caused by a tick not previously known to be in the UK.

The disease was diagnosed by a research scientist at the University of Bristol.

Blood-born disease

The veterinary school is the only one of its kind able to use DNA to spot such rare types of blood-born disease.

"We don't know how widespread this tick is in the UK," said vet Dr Susan Shaw.

"We don't know how many infected ticks there are in that area and we don't know what the risk is for other dogs."

The blood-sucking parasite lives around the Mediterranean but Caffreys never left the UK.

"These lorries from abroad might have something to do with the disease - I just don't know," said Mrs Hunt.