How to identify ticks on dogs: what they look like and where they hide
Spotting a tick on your dog isn't always easy, especially if it's still small or if your companion has dark or very thick fur. Ticks go through different life stages and their size varies enormously: a nymph can be as small as a poppy seed, while an engorged adult tick can reach the size of a pea. To begin with they're flat and dark brown or reddish. Once they start feeding, their body swells and turns a greyish or bluish shade, which makes them easier to spot. If you run your hand through your dog's coat and feel a small bump that wasn't there before, it's worth taking a closer look. These parasites tend to attach in places where the skin is thinner and they have easy access to blood vessels: the head, ears, neck, armpits, groin and between the toes. They can also turn up on the belly or around the eyes. After every walk in the countryside, in the hills or anywhere with vegetation, check these areas carefully. Sometimes what looks like a small wart or a pimple turns out to be a dog tick, and recognising it correctly is the first step towards protecting your companion.
What you need to know to protect your dog from ticks
- Check your dog after every walk, especially the head, ears, neck, armpits, groin and between the toes, where ticks tend to hide because the skin is thinner and they have easy access to blood vessels
- Remove ticks with a proper tool (fine-tipped tweezers or a tick hook), gripping as close to the skin as possible and pulling with a firm movement perpendicular to the skin, without twisting and without using oil, alcohol or heat, which can make the tick regurgitate pathogens
- See your vet if your dog shows lethargy, loss of appetite, lameness, fever or dark urine in the 3 to 4 weeks after you remove a tick, since these can be symptoms of transmitted diseases such as Lyme borreliosis, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis or babesiosis
- Always carry a tick remover clipped to the leash or your keyring so you can act immediately when you find a tick during a walk, cutting down the attachment time and the risk of disease transmission
- Use the antiparasitic products your vet recommends (spot-ons, collars, tablets or sprays) suited to your dog's age, weight and lifestyle, particularly in spring and autumn when ticks are most active
- Note down the date you removed the tick and keep an eye on the bite area over the following weeks for swelling, discharge or poor healing that needs veterinary attention
Why ticks are dangerous
A tick isn't just a small, annoying parasite. Some can transmit various pathogens to both animals and people, which makes every bite a potential health risk. In Spain there are tick-borne diseases such as certain rickettsial infections and Lyme borreliosis. Cases of anaplasmosis, babesiosis, tularemia and Crimean Congo haemorrhagic fever have also been documented. That doesn't mean every tick transmits a disease. But it does mean you shouldn't brush it off when you find one on your dog. The longer a tick stays attached, the higher the risk of pathogen transmission, which is why removing it quickly matters so much. And there's one thing you can do straight away: take it off properly.
Tick-borne diseases in dogs: symptoms and treatment
Knowing the main diseases ticks can transmit helps you stay alert to possible symptoms and act in time. Lyme borreliosis can cause intermittent lameness, joint inflammation, fever and loss of appetite, although many infected dogs show no obvious symptoms at all. Ehrlichiosis usually shows up as fever, lethargy, weight loss and bleeding problems. Anaplasmosis brings on similar symptoms: high fever, joint pain, vomiting and weakness. Babesiosis destroys red blood cells and can cause anaemia, dark urine, jaundice and fever. These diseases don't appear immediately after the bite; they can take days or even weeks to show, which makes it harder to connect the tick with the symptoms. If, after removing a tick, you notice your dog is more listless than usual, goes off their food, limps for no obvious reason or has a fever, take them to your vet. Early diagnosis makes an enormous difference to treatment, since most of these diseases are treated with specific antibiotics that work better the earlier they're given.
When ticks are most active in Spain
Ticks are active practically all year round in many parts of Spain, particularly in regions with mild winters. Their activity increases considerably in spring and autumn, though, when temperatures are moderate and there's enough humidity for them to survive. In northern Spain, tick season tends to run from March to November. In the south and along the coast, where winters are warmer, they can be active even in December and January. Rural areas, woodland, scrubland and pasture are where you're most likely to come across them. But you don't have to head out into the countryside: urban parks with vegetation can harbour ticks too. Knowing when the risk is highest lets you pay closer attention during those months and check your dog more often, adapting your prevention routine to the periods of peak parasite activity.
How to remove a tick from a dog step by step
Removing a tick correctly is essential for reducing the risk of infection. Never use oil, alcohol or heat, and never try to crush it, because these methods can make the tick regurgitate saliva or gut contents into the wound, increasing the risk of disease transmission. Always use a tool made for the job, such as fine-tipped tweezers or a tick hook. First, part the fur around the tick so you can clearly see where it's attached. Grip the tick as close to your dog's skin as possible, right where it's anchored, without grabbing it by the swollen body. Pull with a firm, steady movement perpendicular to the skin, without twisting or jerking. The tick should come away whole, head included. Once it's out, clean the bite area with soap and water or a mild disinfectant. Keep the tick in a sealed container with alcohol in case your vet wants to examine it later on. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling it. The right removal technique minimises the contact time between the tick's fluids and the wound, which lowers the risk of pathogen transmission.
What to do after removing a tick: caring for the wound
After you remove a tick, it's normal for a small mark or some redness to stay on your dog's skin. The area may be slightly inflamed for a day or two, but it should heal without any trouble. Keep the wound clean and watch how it develops over the following weeks. If the area swells up a lot, oozes, forms an odd scab or doesn't heal properly, check with your vet. Sometimes, even when you remove the tick carefully, part of the head or the mouthparts can stay embedded in the skin. If that happens, don't try to dig it out yourself with needles or tweezers, as you could cause a secondary infection. Your dog's body usually pushes these remnants out naturally over time, but if the area gets infected or you notice your dog is uncomfortable, it's better to have a professional look at it. Note down the date you removed the tick and stay alert to possible symptoms over the next three or four weeks. This observation period is crucial, because many tick-borne diseases have an incubation period of several weeks before any obvious symptoms appear.
How to prevent ticks on dogs: products and methods
Prevention is the best strategy against ticks, since avoiding the bite removes the risk of disease transmission entirely. There are different types of antiparasitic products your vet can recommend depending on what your dog needs: spot-on pipettes, tick collars, oral tablets and sprays. Each has its own advantages. Spot-ons are applied to the skin and give protection for several weeks. Collars release repellent substances continuously over months. Tablets work from the inside and are useful if your dog swims or gets bathed often. Sprays can be applied before heading into high-risk areas. It's important to ask your vet which option suits your dog best, taking into account their age, weight, state of health and lifestyle. No product offers one hundred per cent protection, which is why regular checks are still essential. As well as using antiparasitics, you can reduce the risk by avoiding areas of very dense vegetation during the most active months, keeping your garden well maintained if you have one, and checking your dog straight after every walk.
Checking your dog after a walk: a routine that makes the difference
As well as using suitable antiparasitic protection recommended by your vet, it's worth getting into the habit of checking your dog after you've been out, particularly after time spent in vegetation. Ticks can hide very well and aren't always easy to find. A quick check of the coat, the paws, the ears and other parts of the body can become a simple routine that gives you real peace of mind. Run your hands over their whole body, paying particular attention to the areas we mentioned earlier: head, neck, ears, armpits, groin, belly and between the toes. If your dog has long or very thick fur, part it with your fingers so you can see the skin properly. Often you'll feel a small bump before you see it. Turning this check into a moment of affection and contact makes the habit much easier to keep up. And if you do find a tick, don't leave it for later: the sooner you remove it, the lower the risk of pathogen transmission. Early detection is your best defence, because ticks need to stay attached for several hours before they transmit most diseases.
A tick remover you always have with you
Our Travel Tick Remover is made for exactly those moments. It's small, light and comes with a handy ring so you can clip it wherever you like. You can attach it to the rings on the leash, to your walking bag or even to your own keyring. That way you don't have to remember to pack it every time you head out. You just have it with you. Because you never know when you're going to need it. And it isn't only for your dogs. It can also be used to remove ticks from people, which makes it an accessory that comes in useful for the whole family. There are things we buy because they're beautiful. Others because they make life a little easier. And then there are those small accessories you might not use every day, but that you want to have exactly when you need them. For us, the Travel Tick Remover clearly belongs in that last category. It takes up hardly any space and can always be with you. Because when it comes to ticks, having the right tool to hand can be the difference between a clean removal that minimises risk and a botched one that raises the chances of infection.
Ticks and sharing your home: what to know if your dog sleeps with you
Plenty of people who live with dogs wonder whether it's safe for their companion to sleep in the bed when there's a risk of ticks. It's an understandable worry, particularly if you've just found a tick on your dog. Ticks can drop off the dog and end up in the bedding, although this isn't especially common, since they tend to stay attached while they're feeding. The real risk is a tick that hasn't yet attached to the dog making its way onto the sheets and then onto you. That's exactly why checking after every walk matters so much. If you check your dog before they get on the bed and you use suitable antiparasitic protection, the risk drops considerably. Ticks can attach to humans too on occasion, and some of the diseases they transmit affect us as well. Keeping up a good prevention and checking routine protects not just your dog but the whole family, creating a safe environment for living closely together.
Small, practical and always with you
We love things that have a clear purpose and that genuinely come in useful day to day. The Travel Tick Remover is exactly that. A small accessory. A simple one. But one of those little basics that, once you have it, makes you wonder how you ever left the house without it. That's why we think it belongs in every walking bag and, honestly, in every order too. Because looking after your dogs also means being ready for the small things that can come up at any moment. Travel Tick Remover: small in size, but very useful when you really need it.
