Last Updated on April 25, 2023 by Dogs Vets
10 Shocking Facts About Tick Bites on Dogs (Cause, Treatment + Prevention)
Ticks are more than just annoying pests that can make your dog itch. They are also potential carriers of serious diseases that can affect both humans and dogs.
In this article, I will share with you 10 shocking facts about tick bites on dogs that you need to know.
1. Ticks are not insects, they are arachnids. That means they are related to spiders, scorpions, and mites. They have four pairs of legs as adults and no antennae.
2. Ticks do not fly or jump. They wait on the tips of grasses and shrubs for a host to pass by and then latch on with their first pair of legs. This is called “questing“.
3. Ticks can feed for days on their hosts. Unlike biting insects, ticks do not bite and fly away; they remain attached to their hosts, sucking blood and growing in size.
4. Ticks can transmit diseases to dogs and humans through their saliva. Some of the most common tick-borne diseases are Lyme disease, Canine Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Canine Anaplasmosis, and Tularemia.
5. Ticks can be hard to spot on dogs, especially if they have long or dark fur. A tick bite on a dog looks like a small red bump, similar to a mosquito bite. Sometimes, you may only notice a tick when it has engorged itself with blood and become visible.
6. Ticks can cause allergic reactions in some dogs. Some dogs may develop a rash, swelling, itching, or pain at the site of a tick bite. In rare cases, some dogs may experience anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction that can be life-threatening.
7. Ticks can cause anemia in dogs if they feed for too long or if there are too many of them. Anemia is a condition where the red blood cells are low in number or function, resulting in weakness, lethargy, pale gums, and rapid breathing.
8. Ticks can cause paralysis in dogs if they secrete a toxin that affects the nervous system. This is called tick paralysis and it can cause loss of coordination, difficulty breathing, and even death if not treated promptly.
9. Ticks can be removed from dogs with tweezers or a special tick removal tool. It is important to remove the tick promptly and correctly, making sure you also remove the head. If you leave any part of the tick behind, it can cause infection or inflammation.
10. Ticks can be prevented from biting dogs with topical or systemic tick-control treatments. Your vet can recommend the best option for your dog based on his lifestyle and risk factors.
You should also check your dog for ticks daily and keep your yard mown and free of tall weeds.
Dealing with Tick Bites on Your Dogs: Prevention, Detection, and Treatment
Ticks are a common yet dreaded enemy for dog owners. Not only are they repulsive, but they also pose various health risks to both your pet and your family.
In this article, we’ll discuss tick bites, their symptoms, causes, and how to treat and prevent them.
Understanding Tick Bites
Ticks are parasitic arthropods that can transmit diseases such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and cause a rare condition called tick paralysis.
It’s essential for dog owners to be familiar with tick removal and prevention techniques, as well as educate themselves about the risks associated with tick bites.
By having the right knowledge, you can protect your dog from tick-borne dangers and know how to handle a bite if it occurs.
Symptoms of Tick Bites on Dogs
Detecting tick bites usually involves running your hand through your dog’s fur to feel for lumps or bumps. Ticks typically attach themselves to crevices or areas with little to no hair, such as around the face, ears, neck, limbs, armpit, and groin.
In light-colored dogs, brown or black bumps may be visible. However, darker dogs may require a more thorough examination.
Not all ticks carry diseases, and finding a tick on your dog doesn’t guarantee an infection.
However, tick-borne diseases can be life-threatening, so it’s crucial to take tick bites seriously. The quicker a tick is found and removed, the lower the risk of disease transmission.
Common symptoms of tick-borne diseases include fever, lethargy, weakness, lameness, joint swelling, or anemia. In cases of tick paralysis, an awkward gait may develop into paralysis. These signs usually subside after tick removal.
If you notice any symptoms related to a tick bite, contact your veterinarian immediately for proper examination and treatment.
Causes of Tick Bites on Dogs
Ticks are attracted to warmth and movement, seeking out mammals, such as humans, dogs, and cats, to attach and feed on. They typically live in tall grasses, wooded areas, or shrubs, waiting for potential hosts.
To mature, ticks must feed on blood during all their growth stages: eggs, larvae, nymphs, and adults. A tick’s lifespan can range from several months to years, depending on the species.
Treatment and Tick Removal
To remove a tick from your dog, follow these steps:
- Use a clean pair of fine-tipped tweezers.
- Part the hair around the bite area, placing the tweezers as close to the dog’s skin as possible.
- Gently pinch the tick and apply gentle pressure, pulling straight out (no twisting) until the tick releases its grip.
- Avoid gripping the tick too tightly to prevent puncturing its body and releasing blood and pathogens.
- Never attempt to burn the tick away, as this may cause it to release more saliva and toxins into your pet.
- Once removed, place the tick in a sealed plastic bag or jar of alcohol, then contact your veterinarian for inspection and identification.
- Clean the wound with alcohol and apply a small amount of topical antibiotic.
Tick Bites Prevention
Preventing tick bites is essential for your dog’s health. Regularly check your dog for ticks, especially after spending time outdoors.
Use tick prevention products, such as collars, spot-on treatments, or oral medications, as recommended by your veterinarian. Additionally, maintain your yard by mowing the grass, clearing brush, and removing leaf litter to reduce tick habitats.
By being proactive and informed about tick bites, you can keep your dog safe and healthy.
If you ever find a tick on your pet, be sure to follow the proper removal and treatment steps and consult your veterinarian for further guidance.
Additional Tips for Tick Bite Prevention
- Avoid tick-infested areas: When walking your dog, steer clear of tall grasses, wooded areas, and shrubs where ticks are likely to be found. Stick to well-trodden paths and open spaces whenever possible.
- Groom your dog regularly: Brush your dog’s coat regularly to help remove any ticks that may have attached themselves. This also provides an opportunity to inspect your dog’s skin more closely for any signs of ticks or other skin issues.
- Consider tick-repellent clothing: Some pet owners opt for tick-repellent clothing, such as bandanas or vests treated with tick-repellent chemicals, for their dogs. These products can provide an additional layer of protection, especially during tick season or in high-risk areas.
- Bathe your dog after outdoor adventures: Washing your dog with a tick-preventive shampoo after spending time outdoors can help remove any ticks that may have latched on during your outing. Be sure to follow the product instructions and consult your veterinarian for product recommendations.
- Keep your home clean and tidy: Regularly vacuum your home and wash your dog’s bedding to reduce the chances of ticks finding their way into your living space.
- Protect yourself: It’s essential to protect yourself and your family from ticks as well. Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when in tick-infested areas, and use tick repellent on your clothing and skin. Check yourself and your family members for ticks after outdoor activities, especially during tick season.
By following these prevention tips and staying vigilant, you can minimize the risk of tick bites on your dog and ensure their overall health and well-being.
Always consult your veterinarian for personalized advice regarding tick prevention and treatment for your pet.
Simple Best way to dislodge a tick
The best way to dislodge a tick on a dog is to rip it off as quickly as possible, Dr. de Jong and Dr. Kimsey agree.
Here’s how:
- Use a tweezers with a very fine tip. “They also sell commercial tick removers, but they all basically do the same thing,” Dr. de Jong says.
- Hold the tick very close to the pet’s skin – as close as possible.
- Gently pull it straight out to get the tick free.
Finding and removing ticks quickly is important because it affects the likelihood of disease transmission. “The tick must actually bite the dog and remain attached for at least 24 hours, but usually 48-hours, before the proteins that cause Lyme disease are transferred from the tick into the dog’s bloodstream,” Dr. de Jong says.
For this reason, he does not recommend using other methods such as covering the tick with alcohol or petroleum jelly to prevent the tick from dislodging itself.
Indications that your dog is suffering from Lyme disease.
Lyme disease is a serious bacterial infection that can cause severe symptoms in dogs.
Not all infected dogs continue to have problems, but those that do can become very unwell. The bacteria that causes Lyme disease is carried by ticks found in the UK and can be transmitted to both dogs and humans if they are bitten by an infected tick.
The number of cases of Lyme disease in humans in the UK has increased in recent years, and both dogs and dog owners who walk in areas where ticks are present are at risk of the disease.
When dogs show symptoms with Lyme disease, they may include the following:
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- Fever
- Lameness
- Swollen lymph nodes
Always talk to your veterinarian if your dog shows any of these signs or other unusual symptoms. Your dog may not show any signs for weeks or even months after being bitten.
If your dog is not feeling well and you know he was bitten by a tick, even if it seems like a while ago, always mention this to your veterinarian.
Your vet can run some tests to determine if your dog has the disease, and they can prescribe antibiotic treatment if needed.
How do ticks get on humans and dogs?
The main carrier of Lyme disease is the black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis), also called the “deer tick” or “bear tick.” The tick acquires the Lyme disease bacterium when it feeds on an infected animal such as a mouse, deer, or other mammal, and then transmits the bacterium to the next animal it feeds on.
Ticks do not jump or fly. They can only crawl. They enter their host by waiting at the tips of vegetation. For example, when a dog or person brushes against a bush, the tick quickly grabs and then crawls to find a place to bite.
What happens when a tick bites a person?
Most tick bites are painless and cause only minor signs and symptoms such as redness, swelling or skin pain.
However, some ticks transmit bacteria that cause disease, including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Generally, to transmit Lyme disease, a tick must be attached for at least 36 hours.
Can a person catch Lyme disease from their dogs?
Dogs are not a direct source of infection for humans. Lyme disease can only be transmitted from one pet to another or from a pet to a human through tick bites. However, a carrier tick could come into your home on your dog’s fur and get on you.
If your dog is diagnosed with Lyme disease, you and other pets were likely in the same outdoor environment and may also be at risk. Therefore, it is recommended that you consult your doctor and veterinarian to determine if you should test other pets, or family members.
What happens if the tick head remains on the dog?
If you try to remove a tick but its head or mouth parts remain in your pet, do not panic. You have killed the tick and removed its body to avoid serious risk of disease transmission. However, the remaining parts could still lead to infection at the attached area.
How can you prevent tick bites on dogs?
There are two ways to prevent ticks from transmitting disease to your dog: “You should vaccinate your dog against Lyme disease and use a good preventative,” Dr. de Jong says. “Nothing is 100%, and you just want to make sure your pet is fully protected.”
Yes, that’s right – unlike humans, dogs can be vaccinated against Lyme disease.
Your veterinarian may decide to administer the vaccine depending on where you live. (Lyme disease occurs primarily in the Northeast and Minnesota and Wisconsin, according to the Centers for Disease Control).
See also: Cost of neutering a dog (castration) – 10 things you need to know
Preventive products provide a second layer of protection. “If you use a reputable tick prevention product like Nexgard, Frontline or Advantix, the tick will absorb the blood and die quickly,” Dr. de Jong explains. And since it can take a day or more for an attached tick to transmit a pathogen, these substances contribute to not having enough time to do so.
Other tick-borne dog diseases
Tick bites on your dogs: Ticks can also transmit some other less common but serious bacterial diseases in dogs, including anaplasmosis and babesiosis.
Anaplasmosis can include symptoms similar to Lyme disease. Babesiosis can present with a variety of symptoms, from sudden and severe shock, high fever and dark urine to a slowly progressive infection with more subtle clinical signs.
Diagnosis of both diseases involves blood tests similar to those used to screen for Lyme disease.
Sometimes dogs and humans get sick of the same disease by “co-infection” of multiple tick-borne diseases, in which more than one type of disease-causing bacteria is transmitted by a tick bite. This situation can make diagnosis and treatment even more difficult and challenging.
FAQ’S
Q: What diseases can ticks transmit to dogs?
A: Ticks can transmit several diseases to dogs, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis. Some ticks can also cause a condition called tick paralysis.
Q: How can I prevent tick bites on my dog?
A: Prevent tick bites by regularly checking your dog for ticks, using tick prevention products (such as collars, spot-on treatments, or oral medications), avoiding tick-infested areas, grooming your dog regularly, and maintaining your yard to reduce tick habitats.
Q: How do I remove a tick from my dog?
A: Use a clean pair of fine-tipped tweezers, part the hair around the bite area, place the tweezers as close to the dog’s skin as possible, gently pinch the tick, and apply gentle pressure while pulling straight out until the tick releases its grip.
Q: What should I do after removing a tick from my dog?
A: After removing a tick from your dog, place it in a sealed plastic bag or jar of alcohol, then contact your veterinarian for inspection and identification. Clean the wound with alcohol and apply a small amount of topical antibiotic.
Q: How do I know if my dog has a tick-borne disease?
A: Common symptoms of tick-borne diseases include fever, lethargy, weakness, lameness, joint swelling, or anemia. If you notice any symptoms related to a tick bite, contact your veterinarian immediately for proper examination and treatment.
Q: Can tick-borne diseases be transmitted to humans?
A: Yes, some tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, can also be transmitted to humans. It’s essential to protect yourself and your family by wearing appropriate clothing and using tick repellent when in tick-infested areas.
Q: When is tick season?
A: Tick season varies depending on the region and climate. In general, ticks are most active from spring to fall, with their peak activity occurring during the warmer months. However, in some areas, ticks can be active year-round.
It’s essential to remain vigilant and practice tick prevention measures throughout the year.
Fact Check
We strive to provide the latest valuable information for pet lovers with accuracy and fairness. If you would like to add to this post or advertise with us, don’t hesitate reach us. If you see something that doesn’t look right, contact us!
Reference: Mypetandi.com and Thesprucepets.com
