Seed Ticks on Dogs

Ticks are ectoparasites that feed on the blood of the host organism. Basically, there are two types of ticks that infect dogs, namely, the American dog tick and the brown dog tick. These ticks are also vectors that transmit various diseases, including canine jaundice, lyme disease in dogs and rocky mountain fever. The term seed tick denotes the larval stage of a tick. However, at times seed ticks are also used for referring to smaller types of ticks. They resemble the size of a pin head and look like seeds, hence the name seed ticks.

Seed ticks are predominantly found in lawn grass, shrubs and other outdoor surfaces. Upon contact with a dog or other host organisms, they attach themselves with the help of their mandibles and feeding tube (hypostome). Infestation of seed ticks is not necessarily harmful. To be precise, the extent of severity depends upon the duration of the feeding and the number of seed ticks that are feeding on the pet dog. But, if left untreated, seed ticks may cause tick borne diseases in dogs, resulting in symptoms like a runny nose, lethargy, fever, loss of appetite and weight loss. A whole range of diseases can also be transmitted by dog fleas.

Infestation of seed ticks on dogs is common during the spring season. Considering this, it is very important to follow certain precautions for protecting your pet from these blood sucking parasites. So, how can you identify seeds ticks on dogs? These are small-sized bugs, slightly brown in color and appear like poppy seeds with three pairs of legs. After sucking blood from a dog they turn bluish in color. Some tick species detach themselves from the dog after 3-6 days of affixing themselves with the dog, while others tend to spend their whole life in a single host.

How to Get Rid of Seed Ticks on Dogs

Since seed ticks are very tiny, you may find them very difficult to identify, until they are present in a huge population. As already mentioned, seed tick infestation on dogs occur mostly in spring. Hence, make sure that you keep a close eye over your pet's skin (particularly the neck, ears and feet) during this time of the year. The following are a few effective methods that you can employ for getting rid of ticks from dogs:

Hand Removal
After identifying these parasites, you can remove them from the dog's skin with the help of pointed tweezers. Younger seed ticks do not cling tightly to the dog's skin. Thus, seed ticks removal by hand is easy for younger ticks, as compared to that of the adult ticks.

Shampoo Your Dog
Squeezing out the ticks or removing ticks from dogs with your hand is not a practical solution, when they are present in large numbers. In such a case, you can immediately bathe your dog with an over-the-counter tick shampoo. If necessary, you can shampoo your dog with this product on consecutive days, in order to kill all the tick eggs and larvae.

Clean Dog Bedding
There is a very strong possibility of the seed ticks still being present in the dog bedding. So, for effective seed ticks treatment, you can clean those areas where your dog sleeps and plays, not to mention vacuuming the carpet clean.

Spray Correct Insecticide
Last but not the least, use an appropriate insecticide to control breeding of ticks in the infested areas. While spraying, make sure you go through and follow the instructions carefully, as provided in the bottle.

It is of utmost importance that you get rid of these pests as soon as possible, however harmless a seed tick can be, they are still carriers of viruses which can infect your dog and you.

After following the above mentioned tips, if you still suspect tick infestations on your pet dog, get him checked by a qualified veterinarian. In a severe infestation of seed ticks on dogs, your pet may show signs of itching and biting. With correct dog grooming and proper sensitization, you can prevent your pet from getting infected with seed ticks.