8 Types of Ticks on Dogs: What They Look Like and How To Prevent Them

It’s not unusual to find a tick on your dog, especially if they’re a fan of the outdoors and woodsy areas.   

But it’s important to be aware of the types of ticks and how to prevent them to keep your dog safe.  

Here are the most common types of ticks on dogs and the symptoms that signal it’s time to head to the vet as soon as possible.  

What Are Ticks?

Ticks are eight-legged external parasites that bite people or animals and feed on their blood.   

Ticks prefer to live in warm, humid environments and are found in every U.S. state. They carry a variety of serious diseases by harboring certain types of bacteria in their bodies.  

Not all ticks carry diseases, but some ticks carry more than one.  

After feeding for a certain length of time, an infected tick releases bacteria through its saliva into a dog, causing the dog to acquire a tick-borne disease. 

Diseases transmitted by a tick bite include: 

• Lyme disease 

• Rocky Mountain spotted fever 

• Ehrlichiosis 

• Anaplasmosis 

• Babesiosis 

• Tularemia 

• Bartonella 

• Tick paralysis 

Eight Types of Ticks on Dogs

You may also be wondering, “What does a tick look like?” These pictures can help you identify a tick on your dog.  

While many species of ticks exist, these are the most common types of ticks on dogs.  

Lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) 

• Location: Eastern and Southeastern United States 

• Diseases transmitted: Ehrlichiosis, rickettsiosis, tularemia 

Eastern black-legged or deer tick (Ixodes scapularis) 

• Location: Eastern United States, Midwestern United States 

• Diseases transmitted: Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis 

Brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) 

• Location: Throughout the United States, except for Alaska 

• Diseases transmitted: Babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, hepatozoonosis 

Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) 

• Location: Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Scientists expect they may be in other states as well. 

• Diseases transmitted: Rocky Mountain spotted fever. More research is being done to determine what other diseases these recently discovered ticks may transmit to dogs. 

Gulf Coast tick (Amblyomma maculatum) 

• Location: Coastal states along the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Coast as far north as Maryland.  

• Diseases transmitted: Tick paralysis, American canine hepatozoonosis, rickettsiosis 

American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) 

• Location: California and east of the Rocky Mountains 

• Diseases transmitted: Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia 

Rocky Mountain wood tick (Dermacentor andersoni) 

• Location: Rocky Mountain states 

• Diseases transmitted: Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia 

Western black-legged or deer tick (Ixodes pacificus) 

• Location: Pacific coast states, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah 

• Diseases transmitted: Lyme disease, anaplasmosis 

Symptoms of Ticks on Dogs

Ticks release a substance in their saliva that makes their bite painless, so dogs usually do not feel a tick bite and therefore show no symptoms.  

However, if a tick gets in an ear or between their toes, your dog might show tick bite symptoms such as:  

• Shaking their head  

• Licking or chewing their paw 

If a tick transmits ehrlichiosis, babesiosis or anaplasmosis, these tick-borne diseases can cause bleeding disorders. A dog with either of these diseases may start to have:  

• Nosebleeds  

• Small reddish to purplish lesions on the skin or gums, called petechiae, which can be best seen in areas that have little to no fur, such as the belly, ear flaps, gums, and armpits 

• Dark-colored urine 

• Pale gums 

• Yellow discoloration of the eyes or skin 

Symptoms of tickborne diseases in dogs include:  

• Joint pain or swelling 

• Lameness 

• High fever 

• Lethargy 

• Weakness 

• Decreased appetite 

• Enlarged lymph nodes 

• Vomiting 

• Diarrhea 

• Increased thirst 

• Increased urination 

• Weight loss 

• Bruising 

• Swollen legs or belly 

Symptoms of tick diseases may not develop for days or weeks after the tick bite, depending upon the type of disease that is transmitted.  

For example, with tick paralysis, symptoms usually do not show until after the tick has been feeding for at least five days.  

This includes neurological symptoms, such as:  

• Paralysis in all four legs 

• Inability to blink 

• Loss of jaw tone  

• Change in bark tone 

These neurological symptoms can progress quickly, so it’s important to see a veterinarian as soon as possible. Your vet can remove the tick and symptoms will usually resolve within two to three days.

However, recovery may take longer, depending how long the tick was feeding.  

What Is the Life Cycle of a Tick?

Ticks mature through four life stages: 

• Egg 

• Larva 

• Nymph 

• Adult 

It can take up to two years for their life cycle to be complete, as they require a new host during each stage of development. Female ticks generally live for two years, while male ticks die after they mate. 

Ticks in the larval or nymph phases are very tiny and hard to see on a dog’s body. The larval stage has six legs and is equivalent in size to a grain of sand; a nymph has eight legs and is the size of a poppy seed or freckle.  

Adult ticks are larger but vary in size and appearance based on the species of tick. They can be the size of an apple seed, but female ticks that are engorged (filled with blood from feeding) are easier to find because they can be the size of a small grape. 

Tick Prevention for Dogs

Dogs need flea and tick prevention year-round. Your veterinarian can prescribe the best treatment for your dog.   

There are a few options for tick prevention. Your vet might recommend flea and tick prevention on its own in the form of a pill or chewable.  

They might also recommend a topical solution.  

Your vet may otherwise prescribe an option that also has heartworm prevention so you have all important precautions in one pill or chewable.

Most importantly, check your pet daily for ticks, especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors. 

Washing and drying your clothing after outdoor activities such as hiking and camping can also reduce the risk of ticks surviving in your home.