American Dog Tick

Obviously the American dog tick can be found in America, especially in the USA. A common misconception is that ticks can jump. No tick can jump, not even the American dog tick. Instead the American dog tick climb a branch or high grass to simply fall on or grab onto a suitable host when it passes by, brushing the leaves against their bodies or clothes. The American dog tick can be found almost anywhere on your dog but one spot they especially likes is around the collar as the skin is relatively thin and the fur is thick.

Like many other animals, the American dog ticks life starts with an egg. When the egg hatch it will present an American dog tick larvae which will find a suitable host to feed, probably a rat or mouse. It is usually now that the tick becomes contagious. It is not born with the diseases that it spreads but receives them from host carriers, also known as reservoirs. Once full the larvae will fall to the ground and transform into a nymph. The nymph, more or less a miniature tick, will then find a suitable host for its needs. This is where humans and their pets come into the picture as they are perfect hosts to an American dog tick during its phase as a nymph. When the nymph is full it will fall off its host and transform once again, this time into an adult American dog tick. The adult will also need to feed and although humans aren’t common as hosts, pets are. If discovered on a household pet, the American dog tick should be removed and disposed of. Not thrown out into the yard or something like that, I mean killed. If allowed to finish its feeding the American dog tick will mate and the female tick will lay over 4000 more eggs. That will be 4000 more disease spreading American dog ticks to worry about the next time.

The American dog ticks mouth is like something taken out of a sci-fi movie. It is very much formed like a harpoon which it sticks through the skin to reach the blood stream. As the American dog tick shoves this harpoon into the skin it will release a mild painkiller allowing it to be quite rough without your dog noticing it. As the mouth is anchored in the skin of your dog yanking hard is not a very good option when it comes to removing the American dog tick. Instead, use a pair of tweezers to grab a firm hold of the American dog tick as close to the skin as possible and gently pull it out, making sure that all of it is intact and that nothing is left stuck in your dogs skin.