Differences in the behavior of Rhipicephalus sanguineus tested against resistant and susceptible dogs.

To ascertain whether brown dog tick Rhipicephalus sp. infests resistant (beagle) and susceptible (English cocker spaniel) dogs differently, five animals of each breed were maintained in a kennel whose walls were infested with 7,000 larvae, 320 nymphs, 80 males and 80 females, in 3 infestations, at 10-day intervals. Five times more ticks were found on cocker spaniels (498) than on beagles (96). Substances were collected by rubbing pieces of clean flannel on the dogs for 15 min and these were tested for arrestment and attractiveness of ticks. Three choices were offered: cocker extract vs. control; beagle extract vs. control, and cocker extract vs. beagle extract. When allowed to choose between substances rubbed from dogs and a control, more ticks were arrested by extracts from the cockers than from beagles. In the arrestment tests with only a choice between substances from dogs of each breed, more ticks were arrested by cocker substances. To test for attraction, capsules containing adsorbent were used and the tests were carried out in a Y-olfactometer. Fifteen males and 15 females were tested, for each treatment. In the olfactometer, the ticks were not attracted to the odor of either breed, however the odor of the Beagle was apparently repellent. These results indicate that R. sanguineus can use substances from the dogs to differentiate susceptible English Cocker Spaniels from resistant Beagles.