Petting your dog and feeling a sudden, unexpected bump can make your heart drop. Dogs pick up all sorts of scrapes and bumps when they play outside. But with ticks living in every state in the U.S. and thriving in grassy, humid areas, that bump warrants a closer look. Ticks carry serious diseases, so identifying and removing them early makes a big difference for your dog's health. Here's exactly what to look for when you part your dog's fur.
What does a tick look like?
Ticks are eight-legged parasites that latch onto a host to feed on their blood. Because they bury their mouthparts under your dog's skin, you usually only see their body and legs.
- Size: A tick's size changes depending on its life stage and how much it's eaten. Nymphs are tiny (about the size of a poppy seed or a freckle), whereas adult ticks start at around the size of an apple seed. As they feed and fill with blood, they can swell to the size of a small grape.
- Color: Most ticks appear as dark brown, grey, or black spots on the skin. Some, like the deer tick, have black or red bodies, while others, like the dog tick, are brown with white markings.
Is it a tick, a scab, or a skin tag?
It's easy to mistake a tick for a harmless skin anomaly. Here's how to tell them apart:
- The "Flat" Test: Scabs are usually flat against the skin. Ticks, on the other hand, stick out and become more raised as they feed.
- The Color Test: Skin tags generally match the color of your dog's skin. Ticks are noticeably darker.
- The Leg Check: If you look closely, you should see a tick's legs along the sides of its body.
- The Movement Test: Try nudging the spot with a gloved finger. Even if a tick is firmly attached, it will usually wiggle its legs. You can also keep an eye on its size. A skin tag won't change much, but a tick will noticeably grow over a couple of days as it feeds.
Where do ticks hide on dogs?
Ticks don't jump or fly. Instead, they wait on blades of grass and use their front legs to grab onto your dog as they walk by. Once they hitch a ride, they tend to wander around looking for a warm, dark place to hide. When you do your daily tick check, pay extra attention to these sneaky spots:
- Around the head and neck
- Deep inside and around the ears
- Tucked between the toes
- Under the front legs (their armpits) and the groin area
- Even inside the mouth
What to Do If You Find a Tick
If you find a tick, don't panic. The most important step is figuring out how to remove it correctly. While you can tackle this at home using your fingers or a specialized tool like a tick hook, you have to be careful. Standard tweezers can sometimes crush the bug or snap the body off, leaving the mouthparts stuck under your dog’s skin, which can cause local irritation. If you aren't sure you can pull the entire thing out, call your vet for a bit of guidance, or have them do it for you.
Long-term, the absolute best defense is a routine. Getting into the habit of doing a quick, daily check over their coat after walks goes a long way toward spotting pests early. You should also talk to your vet about year-round flea and tick prevention for dogs. Whether you prefer monthly chewable tablets, topical squeeze-on treatments, or a prevention collar, keeping their medication up to date stops ticks in their tracks before they ever have a chance to make your dog sick.