Ticks in Dogs

Finding a tick embedded in your dog's skin can be disturbing. Not only do these parasitic arachnids cause itching and soreness, but they also carry diseases—some of which are life-threatening. Removing a tick can be tricky, but it must be done, and you need to know how to assess your dog's health after a tick bite. Learn the proper way to tackle ticks and prevent them from biting your dog in the first place.

What Is a Tick?

A tick is a parasitic member of the spider family. There are seven species of ticks in the United States, and all of them carry diseases. Ticks will bite the flesh of warm-blooded animals, your dog included, and stay attached until they are engorged with blood from their host. Besides the obvious “ick” factor, ticks can cause localized infection as well as diseases like ehrlichiosis, Lyme, and a rare but serious condition in dogs called tick paralysis.1 The chance of disease transmission grows the longer a tick is embedded. As a dog owner, it's important to know the basics of tick removal and prevention and educate yourself on the risks of disease.

Not all ticks transmit disease and just because a tick has been found on your dog doesn't necessarily mean infection will ensue. However, because tick-borne diseases can be life-threatening, ticks should be taken seriously. Most tick-borne diseases require a tick to feed for several hours to transmit the infection to a host, so the sooner a tick is located and carefully removed, the lower the risk of disease transmission.2

Symptoms of Ticks in Dogs

Most ticks can be detected by simply running your hand through your dog's fur. Ticks often attach themselves in crevices or on areas with little to no hair. Look and feel for signs of ticks.