Ticks are a familiar summer nuisance for anyone who walks dogs through tall grass, woods or brushy trails. Beyond being unpleasant, ticks can transmit diseases to dogs, and some of those diseases affect people too. A quick daily check and a prevention plan from your veterinarian go a long way.
Where ticks wait
Ticks do not jump or fly. They wait on grass blades, shrubs and leaf litter with their front legs outstretched, a behavior called questing, and grab onto a passing animal or person. Trail edges, overgrown yards, wooded areas and places with lots of wildlife are common hot spots. Once on a dog, ticks often crawl to warm, protected areas before attaching.
How to check your dog
After outdoor time, run your hands slowly over your dog’s whole body, feeling for small bumps. Pay close attention to:
- Inside and around the ears.
- Around the eyes, eyelids and muzzle.
- Under the collar and harness.
- Between the toes and around the paw pads.
- In the armpits and groin.
- Under the tail and around the rear.
Unfed ticks can be very small, about the size of a poppy seed for some immature stages. Engorged ticks swell and may be mistaken for a skin tag or wart.
How to remove a tick
Prompt removal is helpful, since the longer a tick stays attached, the greater the chance it can transmit disease. A common method recommended by veterinary and public health sources:
- Use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick removal tool.
- Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible.
- Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Do not twist or jerk.
- Clean the bite area and your hands with soap and water or an antiseptic.
- Dispose of the tick by placing it in alcohol or a sealed bag, or save it in a sealed container if your vet wants to identify it.
Avoid old remedies such as burning the tick, smothering it with petroleum jelly or painting it with nail polish. These can delay removal. If part of the mouth stays in the skin, it often works its way out, but contact your vet if the area becomes red, swollen or sore.
Diseases and prevention
Depending on where you live and travel, ticks can carry diseases such as Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Signs in dogs can be vague and may appear weeks after a bite, including fever, lethargy, lameness, swollen joints, reduced appetite or unusual bleeding.
Many effective tick preventives are available, including oral medications, topical treatments and collars, and vaccines are available for some tick-borne diseases. Your veterinarian can recommend options based on your region, your dog’s lifestyle and health, and may suggest periodic screening tests. Tick products for dogs are not always safe for cats, so never share products between species.
Keeping grass short, clearing leaf litter and limiting brushy edges around your yard can also reduce ticks close to home.
