What you need to know about ticks to protect your dog

Blog

Ticks are blood-sucking parasites who can cause a lot of trouble for your dog. They can cause skin infections or transfer Lyme disease. Also your dog or another furred pet can be affected, so definitely pay attention.

What are ticks and how can you recognise them?

Ticks are blood-sucking parasites related to spiders and mites. At each transition to the next life stage, ticks need to suck blood from a host. Besides humans, this host can be a mammal, reptile, rodent or bird. When a tick has not yet attached itself or sucked blood, it looks like a tiny black spider. Shortly after a tick attaches to the skin, it also starts sucking blood. An engorged tick looks like a grey or brown-black little ball about the size of a pea.

A tick engorged with blood looks like a grey or brown-black little ball about the size of a pea.

When do they occur?

Ticks are present throughout the year. However, they are most active when the outside temperature exceeds 7°C, which is roughly between March and October in Belgium. Global warming can enlarge this period the years to come, so it's better to pay attention almost all year long.

Where do they hide?

Ticks live in forests, in the dunes, but certainly also in your garden. They can usually be found close to the ground in shady undergrowth with fairly dense vegetation. Only when looking for a new host, they climb to the top of high grasses, low bushes, ferns, … to attach there and wait for a host to come along.

When your dog then walks through the long grass, the tick can easily drop down and reach your dog's coat. Once on the host, the tick migrates to one of its preferred sites, such as the groin area, in the ears, under the tail, between the toes, in the armpit area, etc… and there it bites into the skin. The host is not aware of this bite because the tick also injects saliva in addition to sucking blood. This saliva contains substances that, among other things, prevent blood clotting, itching and pain in the host. If a tick is not removed, for example with tick forceps, it will let go on its own when it is filled with blood.

How to remove them?

It is very important that when you notice a tick on your dog, you also remove it as soon as possible. The longer a tick is attached in your dog's skin, the more likely it is to transmit pathogens. Also, NEVER try to sedate the tick with alcohol first. This is not necessary and only increases the chances of infection, because if the tick comes into contact with the alcohol, it will start squirting back the aspirated blood and this along with possible pathogens. The best way to remove a tick is with tweezers or tick forceps. Grasp the tick as close to the head as possible and pull it up in one straight movement (do not twist).

Why are they dangerous?

Ticks are dangerous for our dog because apart from skin infections, they also transmit diseases such as Lyme disease through their bite. Bear in mind that symptoms following a tick bite sometimes do not show up until weeks or months later. It is therefore advisable to always note the day you remove a tick from your dog in your diary.

In dogs, mainly vague symptoms are seen such as:

Fever
Swollen lymph nodes and/or joints
Loss of appetite
Behavioural changes

What can you do?

With ticks, the overall conclusion is: PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE!

Protect your dog preventively with an anti-tick product (please consult your vet)
Make sure you always have tick forceps or tweezers at home
No anti-tick product is 100 % effective, which is why it is important to regularly check your dog for ticks, especially during the period when ticks are most active, i.e. between March and October
Should you spot a tick on your dog, remove it as soon as possible
Mark the day you removed the tick in your diary