Dog Owners: Identifying Ticks Without Expertise

How to Detect Ticks?

Firstly, if you take your dog for walks in areas with trees and grass, it's best to inspect its body daily after each walk. Additionally, avoiding these areas is the most effective preventive measure.

If you have a longhaired or doublecoated dog and suspect it might have ticks, be sure to use a blow dryer to thoroughly check its body, including areas like around its eyes and armpits.

Secondly, while there are numerous tutorials online about tick removal, it's not advisable for beginners to attempt it alone. Everyone knows that the tick's bite process involves embedding its entire head into the skin of a dog or human. Without experience and guidance, there's a high risk of leaving the tick's head embedded in the skin, which is the primary reason ticks can make their hosts sick or even die.

How Ticks Work Their Heads:

The tick's head system operates like an expanding screw. Once it enters the skin, its lateral organs spread out to firmly attach to the host's body for feeding. If you pull it out too hard after it's burrowed into the skin, the head will likely break off and remain beneath the skin.

It's recommended to take your pet to a veterinarian immediately if you find a tick.

For a more detailed guide on how to search for ticks:

Look: Ticks are not very large before they have engorged with blood, so they can be hard to spot. After feeding, they can swell to the size of a grape. Therefore, you may need some tools to help find these tiny creatures before they have a chance to feed.

Be Aware: Not all dogs will scratch or itch after being bitten by a tick. For instance, breeds like French Bulldogs and Bull Terriers are less sensitive to ticks.

Feel: Use the tips of your fingers to search through the fur. If your hand passes over an area with a tick, your dog may become very sensitive. Remember to avoid using your palm, as it is not as sensitive as your fingertips.

Inspect: Ticks are most commonly found in three areas: the paws, abdomen, and ears. When checking the paws, pay attention to the spaces between each toe. The abdomen is easier to find, while checking the ears, also examine the dog's head, lips, and chin area.

Categorize: Ticks can be broadly categorized into two types: hard ticks and soft ticks. Hard ticks are more dangerous, often found in forests or among decaying leaves, while soft ticks are more common but still very harmful.

Hard ticks and soft ticks have distinct differences: hard ticks have larger mouthparts for feeding and have a hard backshell after engorgement, unlike soft ticks, which are small before feeding and remain soft even when engorged. Hard ticks prefer to burrow deeper into the flesh after feeding, while soft ticks detach themselves after feeding.

Hard ticks are smaller than soft ticks but are more terrifying. They embed their entire heads into the flesh during feeding and do not automatically detach even after engorgement, making them difficult to remove manually.

Soft ticks are more common, but hard ticks are less frequent and extremely dangerous.

The most common disease transmitted by ticks in dogs is Lyme disease, with symptoms including sudden excitement or depression, excessive drooling, muscle weakness, joint pain, difficulty walking, difficulty eating or swallowing, increased heart rate, and more. Remember to "check often, prevent, and treat early."