If your dog spends time outdoors, a regular tick check is one of the simplest habits you can build. Ticks can transmit disease, and the Companion Animal Parasite Council notes that identifying and removing attached ticks is an important part of protecting a dog. This article covers where to look, the basics of safe removal, why tick-borne disease awareness matters, and when to involve your veterinarian. It is a practical guide, not a way to diagnose any illness a tick might carry. If your dog seems unwell after a tick bite, that is a conversation for your vet.
Where to look
Ticks like warm, sheltered spots, and they can be small and easy to miss, especially before they have fed. Run your fingers slowly through the coat and against the skin, checking these areas in particular:
- In and around the ears, and inside the ear flaps.
- Around the eyes and on the face.
- Under the collar and around the neck.
- Under the front legs (the "armpits") and in the groin.
- Between the toes and around the paw pads.
- Around and under the tail.
- Along the belly and anywhere the coat is thin.
Feel for small bumps against the skin. A tick can range from a pinhead to the size of a small pea once engorged. Checking after every walk in grassy, wooded, or brushy areas, and doing a thorough sweep regularly during tick season, makes it far easier to find them early.
Safe removal basics
If you find an attached tick, the goal is to remove it promptly and completely without squeezing its body. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes the standard method: grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible with clean, fine-tipped tweezers, then pull upward with steady, even pressure. Do not twist or jerk, which can leave mouthparts behind. After removal, clean the bite area and your hands.
A few things to avoid, because they can make matters worse: do not use a burnt match, petroleum jelly, or other folk methods to try to make the tick detach, and do not crush the tick with your fingers. If you are not comfortable removing a tick, or it is in a difficult spot like near the eye, your veterinary team can do it. It can help to note when and where you found the tick in case questions come up later.
Why tick-borne disease awareness matters
Ticks are not just a nuisance. They can transmit illnesses such as Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, and anaplasmosis. The Companion Animal Parasite Council tracks these canine tick-borne diseases across the country and publishes annual parasite forecasts precisely because the risk is real and varies by region and season. Awareness does two things: it motivates consistent checks and prevention, and it helps you recognize when to seek care. Signs of tick-borne illness can appear days to weeks after a bite, so a clean removal today does not mean the topic is closed.
Prevention is the other half of the equation. Talk with your veterinarian about year-round tick prevention suited to your dog and your area, since the right product and approach depend on where you live and your dog's lifestyle.
When to see a vet
Reach out to your veterinarian in these situations:
- You are unsure how to remove a tick, or cannot remove it fully.
- Mouthparts appear to be left behind, or the bite site becomes red, swollen, or infected over the following days.
- Your dog develops signs of illness after a known or possible tick bite, such as lethargy, fever, lameness or shifting-leg limping, loss of appetite, or swollen joints.
- You want guidance on tick prevention or testing for tick-borne disease.
Because ticks and other parasites often go with itchy, irritated skin, our guide on why dogs scratch so much covers the broader picture of parasites and skin discomfort.
What your vet can do
A veterinarian can remove difficult ticks safely, advise on tick-borne disease risk in your region, recommend appropriate prevention, and test or monitor your dog if illness is a concern. If your dog seems off after a bite, describing what you found and when helps guide that assessment. You do not need to be certain a tick made your dog sick to justify a call.
The bottom line
Checking your dog for ticks is a small habit with a big payoff. A careful sweep after outdoor time, prompt and proper removal, and a conversation with your vet about prevention protect your dog from more than an itchy bump. Because tick-borne illness can surface later, stay alert for changes in the days after a bite, and call your veterinarian whenever something seems off.