Ticks are grey-brown egg-shaped, blood-sucking creepy crawlies. They have eight legs, making them look spider-like, and vary in size from about 1mm to 1cm long. Ticks can look small at first and get bigger and darker as they fill with blood. After feeding, ticks are big enough to spot and feel like a small bump on your pet’s skin. Run your hands over your dog’s body when you get back from a walk to check for them. They tend to attach themselves to areas around a dog’s head, neck, ears and feet. Ticks don’t fly or jump, but climb or drop on to your dog’s coat when they brush past them.How do I know if my dog has a tick?
Twisting them off your dog is the best removal method, and pet shops sell handy tick-removal devices to make this easier.
You need to be careful not to squeeze the tick’s body, or allow its head to get stuck inside your dog. Squeezing a tick’s body can cause it to expel blood back into your dog, increasing the risk of infection. Ask your vet for advice if you're worried about doing this.
- Once you've located the tick, gently part your dog's fur so that you can easily reach the tick
- Get your tick remover and slowly push it under the tick
- When you have a firm grasp of the tick, twist it in a clockwise direction several times until the tick comes loose
- Take a look at your dog's skin and make sure the tick is completely removed
- Get rid of the tick by putting it in alcohol or popping it in tissue and flushing it down the toilet before washing your hands
Ticks carry diseases, so it’s important to remove any that attach themselves to your dog as soon as possible.
How can I protect my dog from ticks?
If you live in an area with ticks, it’s a good idea to use a tick treatment that will either repel ticks or kill them quickly if they attach - the longer the tick is attached, the greater the risk of your dog catching a disease. Spot on treatments, tablets and collars are available and it’s best to consult your vet about which is most suitable for your pet.
Ticks are very good at passing on infections from one animal to another. They feed by biting an animal and feasting on their blood. Once they have had enough, they drop off.
Ticks transmit microbes that cause diseases, such as lyme disease and babesiosis.
Lyme disease in dogs
Lyme disease is a serious bacterial infection. So, if you walk your dog in areas with deer or sheep make sure you keep a close eye on your dog. If your dog has lyme disease, you may notice:
- loss of appetite
- depression
- a fever
- lameness
- swollen and painful joints
- swollen lymph nodes
These symptoms can be present in other conditions, so if you think your pet has lyme disease, contact your vet. They can perform tests to identify lyme disease and start treatment with antibiotics.
What is babesiosis?
Babesiosis is extremely rare in the UK and the tick that spreads it is currently only found in southern England and on the continent.
It takes around two weeks to show signs and symptoms of the disease, but some pets are not diagnosed for months or years after transmission.
If your dog is suffering from babesiosis you may notice:
- pale gums
- a swollen abdomen
- a fever
- loss of appetite
- they become depressed
- their skin becomes yellowish
If you spot any of these symptoms after walking your dog in a tick-infested area, contact your vet and make sure to tell them your dog may have been bitten by a tick. These symptoms can be caused by other conditions, but your vet will be able to identify the cause.
Where are ticks found?
Ticks are common in woodland, grassland and heath areas, but can also be found in your garden if you live in an area with lots of wildlife. You are most likely to come across them in areas with lots of deer or sheep between spring and autumn. But they are active throughout the year.
Tick prevention on holiday
If you're planning on taking your dog abroad, be sure to speak with your vet before you go. Ticks in other countries can pass on different diseases and it's important that your dog is protected against these.
Owners are more likely to be bitten by ticks if they walk their dogs in areas with a high tick population. Hikers and people who exercise in woodland and the countryside are at risk too.
Three ways to help avoid tick bites
- Wear long sleeved tops when out walking and either tuck trousers into socks, or wear long socks
- Check your clothes for ticks and brush them off quickly if you spot any
- Use an insect repellent
How can I remove a tick from my body?
Twisting them off your body is the best removal method. You can use a pair of tweezers or a tick removal tool. After you’ve removed the tick, give the bite area a good wash.
Ticks should be removed from your body as quickly as possible. Be very careful not to squeeze the tick’s body, or allow its head to get stuck inside your body. Squeezing a tick’s body increases the risk of infection.
If you develop a rash around the tick bite – these often look like red rings around the bite area – or feel unwell, contact your doctor and make sure to tell them you have been bitten by a tick. The earlier you seek treatment from your doctor, the better.
Can I catch a disease from a tick?
People can catch lyme disease from ticks, just like dogs.
Lyme disease is serious. So, if you walk your dog in areas with deer or sheep make sure you take precautions to avoid being bitten.
Symptoms of lyme disease include:
- a circular rash
- muscle and joint pain
- fatigue
Left untreated, the disease can develop into conditions such as:
- viral-like meningitis
- facial palsy
- arthritis
- nerve damage
Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics if caught early enough, so inform your doctor if you have been bitten by a tick.
Your dog just wants to play, so of course he was being his spunky, adventurous self while running around in the grass, rolling in leaves, or even just hanging out in the backyard. Trouble is, now you’ve found a tick embedded in your pup’s skin—and you need to know how to get it out ASAP.
But hold up, can dogs even get Lyme disease? The unfortunate answer is yes. “Ticks are a very serious threat because they transmit a lot of diseases to dogs, including Lyme, anaplasmosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever,” says Natalie Marks, D.V.M., veterinarian and medical director at Blum Animal Hospital in Chicago. “These can cause a variety of problems in dogs, including joint arthritis, eye diseases, kidney failure, and death.”
If you do find a tick on your dog, you’ll want to remove the tick as soon as you can. “Once a tick has attached and starts to feed, the risk of disease transmission starts,” says Dr. Marks.
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What does a tick bite look like on a dog?
Ticks are incredibly tiny (they can be the size of a pinhead) and easy to miss until they’re engorged with blood, which happens once they’ve been attached for days. That’s why it’s so important to check your dog for ticks after you’ve been outdoors in tick territory: forests and wooded areas, gardens, tall grasses (including beach grass) and brush, leaf litter, and rock walls.
Ticks bites can happen anywhere, but the critters gravitate toward warm, tucked-away areas. When doing your tick check, always inspect your dog’s head, neck, feet (in between toes), armpits, and ears closely by running your fingers over your dog’s body, paying particular attention to any bumps or swollen areas. Oftentimes, ticks are hidden underneath the fur, so they may not be visible right away, according to the Humane Society of the United States.
If you do find a tick attached, it may be small with its body and legs sticking out if it’s a fresh bite, or a bit more engorged if it has already started feeding. The area may also look red and irritated, especially if your dog has been scratching at it.
It’s important to remember that you should check yourself for ticks, too, since they can transfer between hosts.
How to remove a tick from a dog safely
1. Grab a pair of tweezers.
Fine-pointed tweezers are best for grasping tiny ticks. Try a basic pair or one designed specifically for ticks, like these from TickEase. Put on gloves (to protect yourself from possible bacteria transfer) and “grab the tick at the base of the head where it’s attached to the skin and pull directly out in one motion,” says Dr. Marks.
The Humane Society also recommends tick removers (preferably disinfected with isopropyl alcohol), like the Tick Twister. Slide the remover under the tick and then pull the tick swiftly out of the skin. Alternatively, if neither option makes you comfortable, you can also ask your vet to remove it for you.
2. Clean the tick bite.
If you were able to get the tick out in one, clean piece, save the tick in small plastic bag and note the date you found it (in case your vet needs it for future testing). Then, with clean hands, wash the bite area with warm, soapy water. “Eventually the site of the bite will scab and heal,” says Dr. Marks.
3. Call your vet.
If your attempt at tick removal failed and the critter broke in half while pulling it out, make an appointment with your vet. Any piece left in your dog increases the risk of transmission of potential disease-causing bacteria, Dr. Marks says. Keep an eye out for any signs of infection, like swelling, redness that does not go away, or irritation.
You should also keep an eye out for any unusual symptoms or behavior that could signal a tick-borne illness, like reduced energy, swollen joints, loss of appetite, pain, or a fever.
4. Get a screening.
Four to six weeks after a tick bite, your dog should be screened for tick-borne diseases, says Dr. Marks. Your vet will use a four-way test that looks for the three most common tick diseases (as well as heartworm) to ensure your pup stays healthy.
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Jessica Migala is a health writer specializing in general wellness, fitness, nutrition, and skincare, with work published in Women’s Health, Glamour, Health, Men’s Health, and more. She is based in the Chicago suburbs and is a mom to two little boys and rambunctious rescue pup.