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Most dog owners are well versed in the risk of fleas to dogs - but what about ticks?
Similar to fleas, ticks are tiny, blood-sucking parasites that can take a bite of your dog and stay there unless you intervene. Ticks are not only annoying and not very pleasant, but pose serious risks to your dog’s health without treatment.
To keep your pooch safe from ticks, here’s our guide to identifying ticks on your dog, how to remove it if you find one, and how you can help to prevent them.
A tick is a tiny arachnid that feeds on the blood of other animals. Although related to spiders and scorpions, they’re only about as big as an apple seed - sometimes even smaller.
Rather than hopping from animal to animal like fleas, they crawl onto their target as they pass by and embed their jaws into the skin to feed.
They can stay on an animal host feeding for up to a week, causing a nasty bite sore and potentially transferring diseases unless they’re found and removed.
Ticks live outside when they don’t have a host, hanging out in tall grass, muddy fields, dense bushes, and wooded areas with lots of damp vegetation. In other words, places you’re likely to take your dog for a walk!
Ticks thrive in shady areas that see lots of animals pass through, such as deer, rodents, rabbits so they can find their next host. And this also goes for your unsuspecting pooch.
Ticks don’t jump or fly onto a host, but wait on long grass and leaves with their front arms outstretched, in a process called ‘questing’. When your dog walks by, the tick latches onto them, sinking their beaky jaw into your dog’s skin and hitching a ride in the process.
A dog might not notice they have a tick, so it’s up to you as their pooch parent to thoroughly check them over on a regular basis, particularly after a walk in more grassy and woodland area. This is especially important if you’ve been going on lots of wilderness walks during springtime, when ticks are most prevalent and seeking a good meal.
Use your hands to feel for any bumps on your dog’s skin, and look extra hard if your pooch has a thick, curly or long coat, which makes it much easier for ticks to hide.
Pay close attention to warm, moist areas like behind your dog’s ears, in the armpits, groin, around the neck and under the collar, between their toes, and also on their face and eyes.
So what are you looking for when you’re checking for ticks?
When a tick isn’t attached to an animal host, they look like a small, black or brown, eight-legged bug with a flat, oval-shaped body.
At the front they have a beak-like jaw, used for hooking into the skin of animals in order to feed. When they’re hungry, they are only the size of an apple seed, but after feeding they can inflate to the size of a pea.
The tricky part is that when they’re embedded into your dog’s skin, they look like a tiny brown mound or dark spot that can be easily missed. You are as likely to feel it as you are to see it, so be very meticulous about checking your dog over.
If the tick has already been feeding on your dog for quite some time, the back end of the tick will become dark and bulbous as they fill with blood.
If you’ve found and correctly identified a tick on your dog, you’re going to want to remove it as fast as possible to reduce the risk of diseases. If you don’t feel comfortable removing the tick yourself, be sure to contact your vet.
When attempting to remove a tick yourself, here is the easiest way to do so:
Step 1: Use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick removal tool. Wash your hands and put on surgical gloves if you have any, as this can reduce germs spreading.
Step 2: Try to stay calm. If you’re coming off nervous or stressed, your dog will pick up on it and may get anxious over what you’re doing.
Step 3: Grip the tick by its head with the tweezers, as close to the skin as possible. The head will be borrowed into the dog’s skin, so hold it gently, without squeezing it.
Step 4: Pull out the tick very slowly, with gentle and steady pressure. It’s essential to do this in one straight and steady movement, without twisting it so you can avoid leaving the tick’s mouth parts behind.
Step 5: Check the bite site. Ideally all of the tick’s body parts are out, but if you see anything left, don’t try to dig them out - eventually, they’ll fall out on their own.
Step 6: Either dispose of the tick, or put it in a small container to take to the vet (if you believe your dog has any side effects or symptoms, or it’s a particularly nasty bite or well-fed tick).
Step 7: Use a dog-safe, antiseptic ointment on the bite site by gently dabbing onto your dog’s skin. Your dog should hopefully have stayed still and calm, so give them lots of praise and a tasty dog treat as a reward.
A tick left on your dog’s body is dangerous, mostly because they are known to carry diseases.
If allowed to fully feed, a tick will continue feeding on your pooch’s blood for up to a week, which increases the risk of transmission of conditions like Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis or Babesiosis.
Some ticks can also transfer Paralysis Toxins to the animals they feed on, making it hard for them to walk. Not only this, ticks cause uncomfortable bite sites that can be red, swollen and itchy.
If it falls off on its own after feeding for a few days, the bite is left as an open sore on your dog.
It’s super important to check your dog for ticks and remove any you find, asap.
Ticks are most often linked to Lyme disease, and symptoms can take up to five months to appear after your dog has been bitten.
These are the most common signs that your dog may have contracted Lyme:
If untreated, Lyme disease can lead to kidney damage, heart issues and neurological problems. If you noticed any of the above symptoms, whether you have successfully found and/or removed a tick, be sure to seek veterinary attention.
The treatment plan for a dog who has Lyme disease can differ depending on how far along in the disease they are and the strength of their symptoms.
Generally, dogs are put on a course of antibiotics, pain relief for swelling joints and walking issues, and treatment for any kidney issues they may have.
A well-balanced diet full of healthy, organic ingredients, supplements and probiotics is also the best way to keep their immune system functioning, aid recovery and boost their mood.
Get in touch with your vet if you’re concerned about tick-related diseases such as Lyme disease and whether your pooch is at risk.
You can remove a tick yourself if you spot one on your dog, but if you’re nervous or unsure, feel free to call your vet for advice.
If you’re worried about a specific tick bite; if it seems infected, or if you’re concerned about symptoms of Lyme disease or other tick-related illnesses, absolutely inform your vet.
Bring the removed tick with you, and they can give your dog a thorough assessment.
Keep your dog as healthy and happy as can be with a well-balanced, nutritious diet. Pooch & Mutt healthy dog food is grain-free, made with wholesome, organic ingredients and packed with supplements to nourish their body and mind.
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