About Dog Ticks

Types

• Several tick species can also attach themselves to a dog, among them the American dog tick, deer tick, wood tick and lone star tick. All ticks are blood-sucking parasites that feed by burying the head and mouth parts under the skin of the host.

Life Cycle

• The brown dog tick passes through three blood-sucking stages in its life cycle: larvae, nymph and adult. As a female tick feeds on a dog's blood, her body swells to nearly bursting. The tick detaches, drops off the host and finds a place to lay about 5,000 eggs.
  Tick eggs hatch in two to five weeks, depending on temperature and humidity. Nearly microscopic larvae (called seed ticks) begin searching for a host--preferably a dog, but any mammal will do. Tick larvae feed for about a week, then drop off the host to develop into a nymph. Once again, the tiny nymphs find a host, feed for another week then drop off to complete the transformation into adult ticks.

Identification

• The eggs, larvae and nymphs of the brown dog tick are almost impossible to detect with the naked eye. Adult ticks resemble small spiders, with eight legs. They are oval shaped and reddish brown. Males do not engorge as much as females. Females can feed on a dog for as long as a week, swelling to about the size of a pea. When engorged, the female dog tick's body changes to a pale blue-gray.
  American dog ticks are common in warmer climates of the United States. These ticks require either a dog or a rodent during the nymph stage and do not often infest homes.

Effects

• Ticks can cause skin irritation and itching and with a heavy infestation, dogs can become lethargic. Dogs cannot remove ticks by scratching. Ticks attach themselves to areas of the dog's body that are difficult for the dog to reach--on the face, ears, in folds of skin around elbows, under the neck, on the belly and between toes. Removal of a tick requires care so that the head does not detach from the body and remain in the dog. A large, swollen lump and infection can result from an improperly removed tick.

Considerations

• The brown dog tick does not transmit disease to humans, but can infect dogs with piroplasmosis. The American dog tick does transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia and several other diseases, to both humans and animals. Humans removing a disease-carrying tick from a dog can contract the disease without being bitten.
  
  The American dog tick can also cause a type of paralysis in dogs if the tick is attached near the spinal cord. The tick produces a toxin during the feeding process that causes the paralysis. Once the tick is removed, the dog recovers within a day or two.
  Deer ticks are vectors for Lyme disease and are commonly found on dogs and people.

Warning

• The brown dog tick does not attach to humans, but many other ticks do and they can transmit a host of diseases. Dogs who run outdoors in tick-filled areas can bring these pests into the house. People walking through tick habitats should dress appropriately and inspect themselves for ticks upon returning home. While not all ticks carry disease, any tick bite on a human should be watched closely for symptoms and be seen by a medical professional.

Prevention/Solution

• Ticks should be removed with tweezers by grasping the tick where it is attached to the skin and pulling straight back with a steady pressure. Inspect the tick to be sure the head is attached. Do not use matches, oil, or other reputed methods for tick removal. If you cannot remove a tick from your dog yourself, consult a veterinarian.
  If the tick is on a person, it is a good idea to save the tick on a piece of tape or in a tightly closed jar so it can be tested if there is any question of disease transmission.
  Dogs should be treated with a flea/tick preventative.