The European Scientific Counsel for Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP) UK and Ireland, were recently alerted to a case of small, mobile ticks infesting a five-month-old Jack Russell cross-breed imported from a rescue centre in Greece. In early October, the dog was presented to the Midland Veterinary Surgery in east London – 18 hours after arrival in the UK. The ticks (Fig 1) were present in moderate numbers (approximately 50 or more), fully blood-engorged (1 mm) or unfed (0.5 mm) and visible on the skin between the digits with fewer on the rest of the body. Given the time of year, their reddish colour, six legs, size, shape and location, the arthropods were initially thought to be harvest mites. Close examination at the Institute of Veterinary Science, University …