How to Identify a Tick on Your Pet

 

Learning How to Identify a Tick on Your Pet Can Save Their Life

 

Did You Know?

• Ticks can only breed when they’re feeding.
• Ticks live year-round, even after killing frosts.
• Ticks are found in almost every part of the world and survive varying climates.
• Ticks are not insects.
  Ticks have eight legs, are in the arachnida classification, and are closely related to spiders.
• A female Tick can lay up to 3,000 eggs, some Tick species lay closer to 20,000 eggs.

 

How long does a tick need to be attached to a pet or person before it can spread infection?

Depending on the variety, a Tick attached to a host can begin spreading infection within a few minutes to within a few days.

 

Risk of Lyme Disease, a Tick Bite Related Disease

If a Tick has been attached to a host fewer than 36 hours, the overall risk of Lyme Disease is relatively low. However, without testing the Tick in a lab – there’s no way to tell which variety has embedded itself. That’s why it’s so important to monitor your Dog or Cat as a daily routine to remove a Tick as quickly as possible.

 

 

In color, Ticks can be tan, Brown or Black.

Ticks all have eight legs.

Some Tick varieties are only as large as the head of a pin.

 

Review the Tick Chart to visually see the difference between the different varieties of Ticks.

 

 

More to Explore:

Ticks on Pets, Which Hiding Places to Check

Common Tick Identification Chart

How to Safely Remove a Tick from Dog or Cat

About Tick Lyme Disease in Pets

Photos of common Ticks and where they are found geographically in the U.S., from the CDC.

Tick Removal Information is available from the CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention