What Do Ticks Look Like On Dogs?
QUICK ANSWER
Ticks on dogs look like small, dark, round bumps attached to the skin. Before feeding, they're about the size of a sesame seed. After feeding for several days, they swell to the size of a pea or small grape and take on a grayish or brownish color. They're most commonly found around the ears, neck, head, and between the toes.
Ticks are one of the most common parasites dog owners deal with, especially if your dog spends time outdoors in wooded or grassy areas. Knowing what they look like at different stages and how to handle them properly can protect your dog from tick-borne diseases.
What does an embedded tick look like?
An embedded tick looks like a small, smooth bump on your dog's skin. The tick's mouthpart is buried in the skin, and only the body is visible. Before it feeds, a tick is flat and dark (brown or black), roughly the size of a sesame seed or apple seed. As it feeds on blood over several days, the body swells and becomes engorged, turning grayish, bluish, or tan and growing to the size of a small grape. Many people mistake engorged ticks for skin tags or small growths, so it's worth checking any new bump you find on your dog.
Where should I check for ticks?
Ticks prefer warm, hidden areas with thin skin and good blood supply. Check your dog's ears (inside and behind them), around the eyelids, under the collar, between the toes, in the armpits, around the groin, and along the tail. Running your hands over your dog's entire body after being outdoors is the best way to find them. Long-haired dogs can be especially tricky, so use your fingers to feel for bumps rather than just looking.
How do you remove a tick safely?
Use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick removal tool. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don't twist, jerk, or squeeze the body, as this can cause the mouthpart to break off in the skin or push bacteria into the bite. Don't use folk remedies like petroleum jelly, alcohol, or a hot match; these don't work and can make things worse. After removal, clean the bite area with antiseptic and wash your hands. The CDC recommends saving the tick in a sealed bag or container in case your dog develops symptoms later and the tick needs to be identified.
What diseases do ticks carry?
Ticks can transmit several serious diseases including Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and babesiosis. Symptoms of tick-borne illness may not appear for days or weeks after the bite and can include fever, lethargy, joint pain, loss of appetite, and in some cases, more severe systemic disease. Year-round tick prevention (topical treatments, oral preventatives, or tick collars) is the best defense. If you find a tick on your dog and they develop any unusual symptoms in the following weeks, let your vet know about the tick exposure.
Ticks are a fact of life for dogs that spend time outdoors, but consistent prevention and regular body checks make a huge difference. Learn what they look like at every stage, remove them promptly and properly, and keep your dog on year-round tick prevention. It's one of the simplest things you can do to protect their health.
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