Found a Tick on Your Dog? Here’s What to Do First
Finding a tick attached to your dog can be unsettling, especially if you’re not sure how long it has been there or whether you removed it properly.
The good news is that finding one tick does not automatically mean your dog will become sick.
The most important thing is to remove an attached tick carefully and promptly, check your dog for any others, and know what signs to watch for afterward.
What Should You Do If You Find a Tick on Your Dog?
- Keep your dog as still as possible.
- Put on gloves if you have them.
- Use clean fine-point tweezers or a proper tick-removal tool.
- Remove the tick carefully without squeezing its body.
- Clean the bite area afterward.
- Save or photograph the tick if you want help identifying it.
- Check the rest of your dog thoroughly for more ticks.
- Monitor your dog for any unusual symptoms.
- Contact your veterinarian if you’re concerned, cannot remove the tick, or your dog becomes unwell.
Canadian public-health guidance recommends removing attached ticks as soon as possible because prompt removal can help reduce the risk of infection.
The key is to stay calm and focus on safe physical removal rather than trying internet remedies designed to make the tick fall off.
What Does a Tick Look Like on a Dog?
Ticks can be surprisingly easy to miss.
When they haven’t fed yet, some ticks are extremely small. Once they’ve been attached and feeding for a while, their bodies can become much larger and rounder.
That means a tick can look very different depending on when you find it.
Unfed vs. Engorged Ticks
An unfed tick is usually:
- Small
- Flat
- Dark brown, reddish-brown or black
- Equipped with visible legs around the front portion of its body
An engorged tick has been feeding and may look:
- Round or oval
- Grey, tan or brown
- Swollen
- Much larger than an unfed tick
On a dog with thick or dark fur, you may feel the tick before you actually see it.
Is It a Tick or a Skin Tag?
This is a common question.
Before pulling on a suspicious bump, part the hair carefully and look closely.
A tick usually has a visible body sitting above the skin with small legs near the attachment point.
A skin tag, nipple, scab or other normal skin feature will look different.
If you aren’t sure what you’re looking at, don’t start pulling. Take a clear photo or ask your veterinarian for guidance.
What If the Tick Is Crawling but Not Attached?
If you find a tick crawling across your dog’s coat, remove it and then do a complete tick check.
Finding one crawling tick can mean your dog recently passed through an area where others may also have been picked up.
Where Do Ticks Hide on Dogs?
Ticks can attach almost anywhere, but some areas are easier to miss than others.
Canadian public-health guidance specifically notes the head, neck and ears as common attachment areas.
When checking your dog, pay extra attention to:
- Around the ears
- Inside the ear flaps
- Face and head
- Neck
- Under the collar
- Armpits
- Chest
- Belly
- Groin
- Around the legs
- Between the toes
- Around the paw pads
- Base of the tail
How to Check a Long-Haired Dog for Ticks
Long or dense coats can make tick checks much harder.
Start by slowly running your fingertips over your dog’s skin, feeling for small bumps.
Then:
- Work against the direction of the coat
- Part the hair
- Look closely at the skin
- Check small folds and hidden areas
- Pay special attention around the ears, collar, legs and feet
A fine grooming comb can also help you inspect the coat, although it should not replace proper removal of a tick that is already attached.
The Safari Double Row Flea Comb can be useful for routine coat checks and grooming.
How to Safely Remove a Tick From a Dog
If a tick is attached, remove it as soon as you reasonably can.
You can use either clean fine-point tweezers or a purpose-built tick-removal tool.
What You’ll Need
Ideally, have:
- Disposable gloves
- Fine-point tweezers or a tick-removal tool
- Soap and water or an appropriate cleanser
- A small sealed container if you plan to save the tick
How to Remove a Tick With Fine-Point Tweezers
With tweezers:
- Part your dog’s fur so you can clearly see the tick.
- Grasp the tick as close to your dog’s skin as possible.
- Avoid squeezing the swollen portion of the tick’s body.
- Pull upward slowly and steadily.
- Do not jerk or crush the tick.
- Clean the bite area afterward.
- Wash your hands and clean the tweezers.
Canadian public-health guidance recommends grasping the tick close to the skin and pulling it out slowly with steady pressure.
How to Use a Tick Removal Tool
Dedicated tick-removal tools can make removal easier, especially if your dog spends a lot of time hiking, camping or exploring wooded areas.
At Brindle Pet Supplies, options include:
These tools are designed specifically for removing attached ticks.
Because different tools are shaped and used differently, always follow the instructions for the specific product rather than assuming every tick remover uses the same motion.
Tweezers vs. Tick Remover: Which Is Better?
| Tool | Best For |
|---|---|
| Fine-point tweezers | Immediate, precise removal when you already have them available |
| Tick Tornado | Keeping a dedicated removal tool in your home, vehicle or first-aid kit |
| Tick Twister | Outdoor households that want purpose-built tools in different sizes |
There isn’t one tool every household must use.
The most important thing is being able to remove an attached tick promptly and correctly.
Never Remove a Tick This Way
When you find a tick, it can be tempting to try anything that might make it “let go.”
Unfortunately, several popular home remedies are not recommended.
Don’t Burn the Tick
Do not try to burn an attached tick with a match, lighter or heated object.
You risk injuring your dog and you don’t need heat to remove a tick safely.
Don’t Cover It With Petroleum Jelly
Smothering a tick with petroleum jelly is not the recommended removal method.
Don’t Use Nail Polish
Nail polish is another internet remedy that should be skipped.
Don’t Use Essential Oils to Make It Detach
Canadian guidance specifically advises against trying to smother attached ticks with substances including essential oils.
Don’t Squeeze the Tick’s Body
When using tweezers, focus on grasping the tick close to the skin rather than squeezing the larger part of its body.
The goal is simple:
Remove the tick physically and promptly rather than waiting for it to detach on its own.
What If Part of the Tick Is Still in My Dog?
This is one of the most common worries after tick removal.
You pull the tick out.
Then you look at the bite.
And immediately wonder:
“Did I leave the head in there?”
What people usually mean by the “head” is the tick’s mouthparts.
What Should You Do If Mouthparts Are Left Behind?
If the remaining material is easily accessible with clean tweezers, you may be able to remove it carefully.
If it doesn’t come out easily, do not aggressively dig into your dog’s skin.
Canadian public-health guidance recommends leaving difficult-to-remove mouthparts alone and allowing the skin to heal rather than causing more trauma by digging.
When Should You Call Your Veterinarian?
Contact your veterinarian if:
- You cannot remove the tick
- You’re unsure whether the tick was fully removed
- The bite site becomes increasingly red, swollen, painful or irritated
- Your dog becomes unwell
- You’re worried about your dog’s exposure risk
- You simply aren’t comfortable managing the situation yourself
Should You Save the Tick?
It can be useful to save or photograph a removed tick, especially if you want help identifying the species.
Before disposing of it, consider taking a clear photo.
If saving it, place it in a sealed container and record:
- The date you found it
- Where it was attached
- Where your dog may have picked it up
Canada also has image-based tick identification resources such as eTick.
One important distinction:
Identifying or testing a tick does not diagnose Lyme disease in your dog.
Your veterinarian will consider your dog’s symptoms, exposure, preventive history and other factors when deciding whether testing is appropriate.
What Symptoms Should You Watch for After a Tick Bite?
In fact, many dogs exposed to ticks never become clinically sick.
Still, it’s useful to know what changes deserve attention.
Possible Signs of Lyme Disease in Dogs
Signs associated with Lyme disease can include:
- Fever
- Reduced appetite
- Lethargy
- Generalized discomfort
- Swollen or warm joints
- Sudden lameness
- Limping
- Lameness that appears to shift between legs
More serious kidney complications can occur in some dogs and may cause signs such as vomiting, reduced appetite, weight loss and lethargy.
How Quickly Do Lyme Disease Symptoms Appear?
Symptoms are not necessarily immediate.
VCA Canada notes that clinical signs may not appear until two to five months after infection.
That means your dog appearing completely normal the day after you remove a tick does not tell you whether infection occurred.
At the same time, it is important not to assume that every tick exposure will lead to disease.
Should Every Dog Be Tested After a Tick Bite?
Not necessarily.
There is no one-size-fits-all testing rule for every dog that has had a tick attached.
Your veterinarian may consider:
- The tick species
- Geographic location
- Possible attachment time
- Whether the tick was engorged
- Your dog’s preventive history
- Lyme vaccination status
- Symptoms
- Local tick-borne disease risk
If you’re concerned, contact your veterinarian and let them determine the most appropriate next step.
Can Dogs Get Lyme Disease From Ticks?
Yes.
Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which can be transmitted through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks.
But there are two important things to remember.
Not Every Tick Carries Lyme Disease
Different tick species can carry different pathogens, and not every individual tick is infected.
Finding a tick does not mean Lyme disease transmission definitely occurred.
Not Every Infected Dog Becomes Sick
Even when a dog becomes infected with the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, they may not develop clinical signs.
That’s another reason it’s helpful to avoid jumping from:
“I found a tick”
straight to:
“My dog has Lyme disease.”
Can My Dog Give Me Lyme Disease?
You do not catch Lyme disease directly from your dog.
However, dogs can carry ticks into yards, vehicles or homes.
Regular tick checks are therefore helpful for protecting both pets and the people living with them.
When Is Tick Season in Canada?
It is tempting to think of ticks as a summer-only problem.
In Canada, that isn’t always accurate.
Ticks can become active whenever temperatures are consistently above freezing and the ground is not covered by snow.
That means the better rule is:
Think temperature, not calendar.
Ticks are encountered most commonly during spring, summer and fall, but warm periods can extend the risk outside what people traditionally think of as “tick season.”
Where Are Dogs Most Likely to Encounter Ticks?
Ticks are commonly associated with environments such as:
- Tall grass
- Wooded areas
- Shrubs and brush
- Leaf litter
- Trail edges
- Areas frequently travelled by wildlife
Dogs that hike, camp, hunt, explore wooded trails or regularly move through tall vegetation may have greater opportunities for exposure.
What About Ticks in Alberta?
Tick species and tick-borne disease risk vary across Canada, and conditions can change over time.
Canadian pet parents should pay attention to current regional public-health information and speak with their veterinarian about their dog’s specific risk based on where they live and travel.
For Alberta dogs that spend significant time hiking, camping or exploring rural areas, regular tick checks are still a smart habit.
How to Help Prevent Ticks on Dogs
Tick prevention works best as a layered strategy.
There is no single step that makes a dog completely tick-proof.
1. Use an Appropriate Tick Preventative
Talk with your veterinarian about which type of flea and tick prevention makes sense for your dog.
Important considerations include:
- Age
- Weight
- Health
- Location
- Travel
- Outdoor activity
- Exposure to wooded or grassy areas
- Other pets in the household
2. Check Your Dog Regularly
Get into the habit of checking your dog after:
- Walks through tall grass
- Hiking
- Camping
- Visiting wooded areas
- Time at cottages or acreages
- Outdoor adventures
The earlier you find an attached tick, the sooner you can remove it.
3. Reduce Exposure Where Practical
When hiking or walking in tick habitat:
- Stay on maintained paths when possible
- Avoid dense brush and tall grass
- Check your dog after the outing
You don’t need to stop enjoying the outdoors.
Just make tick checks part of the routine.
4. Ask Your Veterinarian About Lyme Vaccination
Depending on where you live, where you travel and your dog’s lifestyle, your veterinarian may recommend discussing Lyme vaccination as another layer of protection.
The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association supports a layered prevention approach that can include regular tick checks, appropriate tick control and consideration of Lyme vaccination based on individual risk.
Tick Prevention Products for Dogs: What Are Your Options?
Different tick-care products have different jobs.
Some are designed to help prevent or control ticks, while others are designed to help you remove a tick after you find one.
Understanding that difference makes it much easier to build a sensible tick-care routine.
K9 Advantix II Topical Flea & Tick Treatment
K9 Advantix II is a topical flea and tick treatment for dogs.
At Brindle Pet Supplies, it is available in different sizes based on your dog’s weight, including options for:
The treatment contains active ingredients including imidacloprid, permethrin and pyriproxyfen and is designed to provide ongoing protection when used according to the package directions.
Important for Homes With Cats
K9 Advantix II is for dogs only. Do not use it on cats.
This is especially important because K9 Advantix II contains permethrin, which can be extremely dangerous to cats.
If you live with both dogs and cats, carefully follow all product instructions and precautions regarding contact between cats and recently treated dogs.
If you are unsure whether a topical product is appropriate for your household, speak with your veterinarian before using it.
Tick Tornado
The Tick Tornado is a dedicated physical tick-removal tool.
It can be a useful addition to:
- Dog first-aid kits
- Hiking bags
- Camping gear
- Vehicles
- Home grooming supplies
The advantage is simple: if you find an attached tick, you already have a tool designed specifically for the job.
Tick Twister
The Tick Twister is another purpose-built removal option and comes in different sizes to help accommodate ticks of different sizes.
For households that spend a lot of time outdoors, keeping one at home and another in your travel or hiking kit can make tick removal much less stressful.
Safari Double Row Flea Comb
A fine comb such as the Safari Double Row Flea Comb can be useful for coat inspection and grooming.
However, it should not be considered a substitute for proper removal when a tick is already attached to your dog’s skin.
K9 Advantix II vs. Tick Removal Tools: You May Need Both
Tick prevention and tick removal are not interchangeable.
| Product | What It Does | When You Use It |
|---|---|---|
| K9 Advantix II | Preventative topical treatment | As part of ongoing flea and tick prevention |
| Tick Tornado | Physical tick-removal tool | After finding an attached tick |
| Tick Twister | Physical tick-removal tool | After finding an attached tick |
| Safari Flea Comb | Helps inspect the coat | During routine grooming and checks |
A tick remover does not prevent ticks.
And using a preventative does not eliminate the need to check your dog after spending time in tick habitat.
That’s why a layered approach makes sense.
Build a Dog Tick Kit Before You Need It
Finding a tick is much less stressful when you’re not standing in the kitchen at 10 p.m. searching every junk drawer for tweezers.
A basic dog tick kit can include:
- Your dog’s appropriate flea and tick preventative
- Tick Tornado or Tick Twister
- Fine-point tweezers
- Disposable gloves
- Small sealable container
- Basic dog first-aid supplies
Keep one at home.
If you regularly hike, camp or travel with your dog, consider keeping a smaller version in your vehicle or outdoor bag too.
It’s one of those little kits you hope you never need—but you’ll be very happy to have when you do.
Where to Buy Tick Prevention and Removal Tools in Canada
At Brindle Pet Supplies, we carry a curated selection of flea and tick care products for Canadian dogs, including prevention and removal options such as K9 Advantix II, Tick Tornado, Tick Twister and grooming tools.
We’re a Canadian-owned independent pet retailer based in Alberta, with convenient shipping across Canada and a focus on carefully selected premium pet products.
That means you can shop for both sides of tick preparedness in one place:
- Products designed for ongoing prevention
- Dedicated tools for safe removal when you find an attached tick
Shop Tick & Flea Care for Dogs
Final Takeaway: Be Prepared, Not Panicked
Finding a tick on your dog can be alarming, but it does not automatically mean your dog is going to get sick.
If you find an attached tick:
Remove it carefully and promptly.
Check the rest of your dog.
Clean the bite area.
Monitor your dog afterward.
Contact your veterinarian if you have concerns.
Then think about prevention.
Regular tick checks, an appropriate preventive plan, awareness of tick habitat and having a proper removal tool ready before you need it can make tick season much less stressful.
You and your dog can still enjoy the trails, parks, campgrounds and backyard adventures you love.
A little preparation goes a long way.
Frequently Asked Questions
I Found a Tick on My Dog. What Should I Do?
Remove an attached tick promptly using clean fine-point tweezers or an appropriate tick-removal tool. Clean the bite site afterward, check the rest of your dog for additional ticks and monitor your dog. Contact your veterinarian if you cannot remove the tick or have concerns about your dog’s health.
How Do I Safely Remove a Tick From My Dog?
With fine-point tweezers, grasp the tick as close to your dog’s skin as possible without squeezing its body. Pull upward slowly with steady pressure. If you are using a dedicated tick-removal tool such as Tick Tornado or Tick Twister, follow the directions included with that particular tool.
What Happens If Part of the Tick Stays in My Dog?
Sometimes small mouthparts can remain behind. If they are easily accessible, you may be able to remove them carefully with clean tweezers. If they do not come out easily, avoid digging aggressively into the skin. Contact your veterinarian if the area becomes irritated or you are concerned.
Can I Use Vaseline to Remove a Tick From My Dog?
No. Canadian public-health guidance advises against trying to smother attached ticks with petroleum jelly, nail polish, essential oils or similar substances. Prompt physical removal using appropriate tweezers or a tick-removal tool is recommended.
Should I Save a Tick After Removing It?
You may want to photograph or save the tick for identification. If saving it, place it in a sealed container and record when and where you found it. Tick identification can provide useful information, but it does not diagnose Lyme disease in your dog.
Does Finding a Tick Mean My Dog Has Lyme Disease?
No. Finding a tick does not mean your dog automatically has Lyme disease. Not every tick carries the bacteria that cause Lyme disease, and not every infected dog develops clinical illness.
What Are the Symptoms of Lyme Disease in Dogs?
Possible signs include fever, reduced appetite, lethargy, generalized pain, swollen or warm joints and sudden or shifting lameness. More serious kidney complications can also occur in some cases. Contact your veterinarian if your dog develops concerning symptoms after possible tick exposure.
Where Should I Check My Dog for Ticks?
Check your dog’s entire body, paying particular attention to the head, ears, neck, under the collar, armpits, belly, groin, legs, between the toes and around the base of the tail.
When Is Tick Season in Canada?
Ticks are most commonly encountered during spring, summer and fall, but they can become active whenever temperatures are consistently above freezing and the ground is not snow-covered. That means tick checks can be important outside the traditional summer season too.
Can My Dog Still Get Ticks While Using Prevention?
Yes, depending on the product and how it works. Preventative treatments do not replace regular tick checks. A layered approach that includes appropriate prevention, checking your dog and reducing exposure where practical is generally more effective than relying on a single step.
Is K9 Advantix II Safe Around Cats?
K9 Advantix II is not for use on cats. It contains permethrin, which can be extremely dangerous to cats. Households with both dogs and cats should carefully follow all package precautions regarding contact between cats and recently treated dogs.
What Is the Best Tick Prevention for Dogs in Canada?
There is no single prevention product that is best for every dog. Your dog’s age, weight, health, location, travel habits, outdoor activity and other pets in your household all matter. Your veterinarian can help you choose an appropriate prevention plan based on your dog’s individual risk.