What this means
Ticks hide under the coat and are usually found by accident, while stroking or brushing. They like warm places with thinner skin: the inside and edges of the ears, the neck, armpits, groin and between the toes. At first all you may feel is a small bump on the skin that the dog hardly seems to notice.
The tick itself is only half of it. The other half is what it may pass on, and how the skin around the bite reacts. Sometimes redness, swelling or a small sore appears at the spot, especially if the dog has scratched or licked it. Illnesses spread by ticks do not show at once, so it is worth watching your dog for a few weeks.
Write down where your dog had been (woodland, meadow, long grass), when the tick was found and where on the body. If you can, photograph it before it is removed, and ask your vet to show you how to do that safely. Tell the vet about the tick even if your dog looks well, because signs that appear later may be connected.
Possible causes
These are things that can cause this sign. It is not a diagnosis, and they are not equally likely for your dog.
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The attachment itself
The tick fastens to the skin and feeds on blood. A red spot or small bump may be left at the site, and the dog may scratch or lick it.
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Skin inflammation around the bite
Damaged skin can become inflamed. There may be redness, warmth, swelling, and sometimes discharge or a small pustule.
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A sore from scratching or licking
If your dog has scratched or licked the spot raw, an open sore can form that is slow to heal and may become infected.
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Illnesses spread by ticks
Some ticks can pass an infection to a dog. Signs generally appear not the same day but later: tiredness, fever, loss of appetite, limping.
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More than one tick
After a walk there may be more than a single tick. It is worth checking the whole body, especially the ears, neck, armpits and between the toes.
What else to watch for
These observations help your vet build the picture faster. Note down what you saw and when.
- Where on the body the tick was found, and when
- Where your dog had been beforehand: woodland, meadow, long grass
- Whether redness, swelling or a sore has appeared at the spot
- Whether your dog is eating less, quieter than usual or feverish
- Whether limping or stiffness on getting up has appeared
- Whether other lumps or marks have turned up on the skin
When to book a routine visit
Book a visit whenever a tick is found, and go sooner if the spot is red, swollen or weeping. Tell your vet when and where the tick was found and which parasite products you have used. Keep an eye on your dog's wellbeing for the next few weeks and report any change.
Related conditions
Conditions whose entries mention this sign. The list is somewhere to read on, not a way to reach a diagnosis.
- Skin infections Skin and coat Skin infections are caused by bacteria or yeast that start to multiply when the skin's defences are weakened, for example by an allergy, parasites, moisture trapped in skin folds or constant scratching. An infection can stay on the surface or reach the deeper layers of the skin, causing pain and intense itching. What caused the infection and what keeps it going is for a vet to work out.
- Skin cuts and tears Skin and coat This is an umbrella term for a range of skin wounds, from shallow scrapes to deep cuts or tears left by sharp objects, branches, fences or bites from other animals. Thin or loose skin, the paw pads and the edges of the ears are injured more easily. Even a small wound can be deeper than it looks and can become infected, so how badly the tissue is damaged is for a vet to assess.
Body systems: Skin and coat