Finding ticks on your dog is not so simple. These tiny bloodsuckers are good at playing hide-and-seek, particularly when their host is covered in thick, dark hair. Ticks can latch on to your furry friend and live in hiding, feasting on blood for several days at a time. Here are 5 places to look for ticks on your dog.
1. In The Groin Area
The groin probably isn’t the first place you would look for ticks on your pet. However, they can get attached in and around your dog’s bottom.
You should check the perianal area. Ticks are drawn to dark, moist areas on the body.
2. Between The Toes
Ticks have nothing against your dog’s paws. Though it takes extra effort to latch on, a tick can become attached between the toes.
If you find one there, use hemostats or tweezers to remove it. Grasp the tick without crushing it and pull it straight out.
3. In And Around The Ears
Though uncommon, sometimes when a tick latches on in or around the ears of a dog, tick paralysis could occur. Unlike other tick-transmitted diseases, tick paralysis will go away without lasting health effects once the tick is removed.
Do also check the inside your dog’s ears, including the ear canal. Sometimes ticks can be found on the insides of floppy ears.
4. Under Clothes And Collars
If your dog wears a collar 24/7, it’s easy to forget to remove it during the tick inspection. Ticks can hide under your pet’s collar, harness or any article of clothing she’s wearing.
If your pet wears a T-shirt or sun protection shirt, those have to come off.
5. The Eyelids
Is it a skin tag or a tick on your dog’s eyelid? Sometimes, it’s hard to determine.
Dogs can develop skin tags anywhere on their bodies, but they frequently appear near the eyelids. You don’t want to rip off a skin tag. Make sure that black mass on the eyelid is actually not a tick.