All dog owners are likely to find a tick on their dog at some point! So, it's important to know how to get rid of ticks on dogs and what you can do to protect your dog from tick-borne diseases. If you’re unsure what an embedded tick looks like on a dog or want to know what kills ticks on dogs instantly, this is the guide for you.

What are Ticks

Ticks are tiny parasites that live on a host animal's skin and feed on their blood. They have 6-8 legs and an egg-shaped body, which gets larger and darker as it fills with blood. They can’t fly or jump but will climb on to a dog’s coat as it brushes past.

Ticks are common in woodlands and grasslands. They can be seen throughout the year but are most common between the spring and autumn.

There are hundreds of different types of ticks worldwide that can feed on dogs and cats. The main group that affects dogs in the UK is called Ixodidae:

• The sheep tick, or castor bean tick (Ixodes ricinus), is the most common tick found in the UK. They can transmit Lyme disease, babesiosis and anaplasmosis to dogs.
• The hedgehog tick (Ixodes hexagonus) is the second most common tick to affect dogs in the UK. They can transmit Lyme disease.
• The dog tick (Ixodes canisuga) can be found throughout Europe. They don’t transmit specific diseases to dogs but can cause itchiness and hair loss.
• The red sheep tick (Haemaphysalis puncta) isn’t common in the UK but has been seen in southeast England and the west coast Wales. This tick can transmit tick-borne paralysis and encephalitis.
• The marsh tick, or ornate dog tick (Dermacentor reticulatus) has only been documented in the south of Wales and England. These ticks can transmit canine babesiosis.
• The brown dog tick, or kennel tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) is usually found in warmer climates, but they’ve been documented to survive a UK winter. Unlike other tick species, brown dog ticks can complete their entire life cycle indoors. They can transmit ehrlichiosis and babesiosis to dogs.

What Does a Tick Look Like on a Dog?

After a tick has embedded fully and started feeding, they’ll increase in size and will feel like a small bump on your dog’s skin. They can be spotted by running your hands over your dog’s body. Ticks tend to attach themselves around a dog’s head, neck, ears and feet, but they can be found anywhere on your dog’s body.

What do ticks look like on dogs? That depends on the type of tick, but generally an embedded tick has an oval shaped body, is firm, and are a shade of grey or brown. You’ll be able to see some of their legs sticking out where their body meets your dog's skin.

If a tick has recently climbed on to your dog, you may see them crawling on your dog’s fur. They have a spider-like appearance, are usually grey-brown, and vary in size between 1mm to 1cm.

What are the Risks of a Tick Bites on Dogs?

Ticks can cause several problems when they bite your dog. Some animals are sensitive to tick bites and can have a severe skin reaction. If a large number of ticks are attached to a small dog, it can lead to severe blood loss that causes anaemia. Some ticks can produce a toxin that causes paralysis, which is a serious condition and can be fatal.

Ticks can transmit potentially fatal diseases like Lyme disease, babesiosis (piroplasmosis), ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, borreliosis, rickettsial infections and several viral diseases. The diseases can be difficult and expensive to treat, and some are also transmissible to humans.

What are the Symptoms for a Tick on a Dog?

Your dog is unlikely to show any symptoms if they’ve been bitten by a tick, unless they have a reaction to the bite, so it's important to regularly check your dog for ticks. Tick-borne diseases can cause diarrhoea, muscle pain, fatigue, seizures, swelling of limbs, depression, weight loss, skin lesions, or discharge from the nose or eyes. Contact your vet if you notice any of these signs.

Humans can get ticks too! If you notice one on your skin, remove it using a tick removal tool. Ticks can transmit diseases like Lyme disease to humans. Keep an eye out for signs of lyme disease, such as a rash around the bite, a high temperature, loss of energy, tiredness, muscle and joint pain.

Tick symptoms can appear several weeks after a bite has occurred. Speak to your GP if you’re concerned.

How to Remove a Tick from a Dog

You can take your dog to see your vet or vet nurse for tick removal, or you can do it yourself. When removing the tick, make sure you don’t grasp the tick’s body tightly or leave the head in. To prevent this from happening, it’s best to remove a tick using a tick removal tool. These tools are available from your vet or a pet shop.

Slide the tick removal tool between the body of the tick and your dog’s body. When you have the tick hooked, slowly turn the tool in one direction. Continue turning in the same direction until the tick releases. It’s important to check that the tick’s head and legs are attached to the body and not left inside your dog.

Never crush a tick in your hands, instead put it in alcohol and then flush it down the toilet. Washing your hands after touching a tick is very important to prevent disease transmission. If you are removing a tick by hand, make sure to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible.

How long do ticks stay on dogs if not found and removed? Ticks will bite and feed on your dog for a few days. They’ll then drop off your dog’s body, so you may find them on your floor, furniture or dog’s bedding.

How to Prevent Ticks on Dogs

You can reduce the risk of your dog getting a tick by avoiding woodlands and areas with long grass, but the most effective method is to regularly treat your dog with preventative treatment. There are different tick preventative treatments you can get from your vet. Some treatments are in tablet form and others are a spot-on solution. The treatments work by entering your dog’s bloodstream and killing the tick when it feeds.

It’s important to check your dog regularly for ticks so they can be removed immediately. Contact your vet if you notice an infected tick bite or any of the tick-borne disease symptoms. Preventative treatment is the most effective way to protect you and your dog.

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Content provided from Vetstream's Vetlexicon Canis – www.vetlexicon.com/canis

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