Tick Talk: Protecting Your Dog from Ticks

By Dr. Yuri Yoon, Country Grove Veterinary Clinic

Tick Talk: Protecting Your Dog from Ticks

Hello, pet parents! Dr. Yuri Yoon here from Country Grove Veterinary Clinic. With fall approaching and the change in weather, brings the return of flea and tick season, and that means it’s time for us to stay vigilant. These small parasites may seem harmless, but they can carry serious diseases that affect both dogs and humans. At Country Grove Veterinary Clinic, we’re here to help you understand the risks and keep your dog safe.

What Are Ticks?

Ticks are tiny arachnids that feed on blood by attaching to the skin of animals—including your dog. They tend to live in grassy, bushy, or forested areas. Once attached, ticks can transmit harmful pathogens like Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, and anaplasmosis through their bite.

Understanding the Tick Life Cycle

Ticks go through four life stages: Egg🡪Larva🡪Nymph🡪Adult

A female tick can lay thousands of eggs at once. After hatching, larvae feed on a host, molt into nymphs, and eventually become adults. Adults also feed and mate on a host, after which the female detaches to lay eggs, continuing the cycle. Depending on the species, this process can span a few months to a couple of years.

Ticks and Your Dog

How Can You Tell if Your Dog Has a Tick?
You might notice a small lump or see the tick attached under your dog’s fur. Before feeding, ticks are small and dark, but they can swell dramatically after feeding—turning grayish and bloated. Even if a tick has detached, you may see a raised or irritated area where it bit.

How Big Can Ticks Get?
Ticks can grow considerably while feeding. A female tick can become 100 times heavier after engorging on blood.

Where Do Ticks Like to Hide?
Ticks gravitate toward warm, sheltered areas. When checking your dog, focus on places like:

• Between the toes
• In and around the ears
• Under the front legs
• Around the groin and base of the tail
• But sometimes can be on your pet’s face!

When Are Ticks a Threat?
While some species are more active in spring and summer, ticks can be a year-round concern in milder climates. That’s why ongoing prevention—every month of the year—is so important.

How to Prevent Tick Bites

Preventing a tick bite is much easier than treating a tick-borne illness. Here are effective ways to keep your dog protected:

1. Use Veterinary-Recommended Preventatives:
   Some trusted and effective options include:
   • Bravecto – Available as a chew or topical, protects for up to 12 weeks for dogs, 8 weeks for cats
   • Nexgard – A tasty monthly chew that kills fleas and ticks fast.
   • Simparica – Another monthly oral option with reliable tick protection.
   • Advantix – A topical solution that repels and kills ticks, fleas, and mosquitoes.(not Advantage) for dogs only
   • Revolution – another topical solution to protect against, ticks, fleas and mites for cats
2. Do Routine Tick Checks:
   Especially after walks or hikes, run your hands over your dog to feel for any bumps. Be thorough around ears, neck, toes, and tail.
3. Avoid Tick-Prone Habitats:
   Stay away from tall grasses, wooded trails, and leaf piles whenever possible.
4. Keep Your Yard Tick-Free:
   Mow regularly, remove brush, and consider placing gravel or wood chips around high-traffic areas to create a buffer.

Safe Tick Removal: Step-by-Step

If you find a tick, don’t panic—just follow these steps:

1. Use Fine-Tipped Tweezers or Tick Tool: Always wear gloves when handling ticks.
2. Grab Close to the Skin: Get the tool as close to your dog’s skin as possible to ensure the entire tick is removed.
3. Pull Out Steadily: Gently but firmly pull the tick out in a straight motion. Avoid twisting.  Ensure the head of the tick has fully been removed.
4. Clean the Area: Disinfect the bite site and wash your hands thoroughly. Do not use hydrogen peroxide to clean the site. Warm water and soap is safer and effective.
5. Save the Tick: Place it in a clean container in the fridge. It may be helpful for identification and disease testing.

Why It Matters

Ticks aren’t just a summertime nuisance—they pose a real health risk. Here at Country Grove Veterinary Clinic, our goal is to keep your pets healthy year-round. Tick prevention is a vital part of that mission. *Please call CGVC to discuss with Dr. Wolfe and Dr. Yoon to determine which product is the safest and most effective for your pet’s medical and lifestyle needs. If you find a tick or see signs like fever, lethargy, limping, or swollen joints in your dog, give us a call right away. Early detection can make all the difference.