Dog Mummy Had Blood-Sucking Parasites

An Egyptian dog mummy, a young puppy possibly dating from as far back as the fourth century B.C., was recently discovered. It was found to have 61 brown dog ticks still clinging to its coat and in its ear, plus a blood-sucking louse fly. This is the first time these parasites have been found on dogs from this far back, and it is important because discoveries like this can provide clues about the spread of blood-sucking parasites and diseases around the world. The brown dog tick is now common in this country and in warmer areas around the world. The dog that was mummified may have died from canine babesiosis, a tick-transmitted disease that we have in this country.