The most common tick found on dogs is the brown dog tick. These ticks are associated with carrying diseases such as, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. It’s not just because your dog is brown.

The brown dog tick is approximately 5mm in length and after a full blood meal can reach 12mm, which is the size of a raisin. As their name suggests it’s brown and prefers canine animals but it isn’t uncommon for it to latch onto a human host.

Unlike other ticks, the brown dog tick can live completely indoors. Other ticks such as, black legged ticks, Lone Star ticks, and American dog ticks prefer the great outdoors. They can hide in wooded areas, leaf brush, wood piles, grass, and trees waiting to latch onto animals and wildlife. Because these ticks are considered outdoor ticks, they lay their eggs on the ground but brown dog ticks, if indoors, will lay them in the carpet, furniture or anywhere that is soft and warm. This could also include in your clothing.

After filling up on her first blood meal, the female tick will begin laying eggs. She is capable of laying over 4,000 eggs. After 2-4 weeks, the larvae emerges to find a host and feed for a week before falling off and molting into a nymph. After this cycle of molting is complete, the nymph finds a host again to repeat the process of feeding and then falling off after 7-10 days and enter its final molting cycle into an adult. It can take up to 2 weeks to fully mature at this stage.

If left untreated, your pet and home could become infested and pose a health risk to not just your pet but everyone in the home. Ticks not only carry diseases, they carry bacteria, parasites, and viruses that cause Lyme disease, tularemia, and Southern tick associated rash illness.

Ticks are most active in the spring, summer, and fall when weather conditions are warmer and more humid. During the winter they hide under debris and in dens or burrows of other animals to escape the cold. Brown dog ticks, however, can remain active throughout the winter when they are indoors hiding in cracks and crevices.

The best treatment for ticks is a lawn insect treatment. These are cost effective and work VERY well!

Don’t let your pet and home become infested. Contact Safe Earth Pest ControlTickand your vet today and keep your home and pet safe. 214-321-2847