Different Types of Ticks – Symptoms and Treatments

Different Types of Ticks

There are different types of ticks that affect dogs and cats. they infect the pets and cause several types of skin conditions and sometimes even cause tapeworm infection.

Let us find out some of the most common ticks in USA that infect pet’s body and cause irritation and scratching.

American dog tick

This American parasite sticks to dogs and people. The newly turned adults are brown with white spots or sticks on their backs. After feeding on dogs and humans, when they are full of blood, they appear gray and look like a bean.

These ticks are widely prevalent in the southern United States and are commonly seen near water and other humid areas. They cause Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

Signs and symptoms

  • Shaking the head vigorously
  • Scratching head and other body parts

Deer or black-legged tick

Named after its black legs, Black-legged ticks attach very firmly to dogs, cats and humans. The adults appear reddish brown and look similar to Brown Dog ticks. Moreover, Deer tick will be a much deeper darker brown than the Brown Dog tick when engorged. Deer ticks carry Lyme disease, Babesiosis, and Ehrlichiosis.

Signs and symptoms

  • Scratching whole body
  • Chewing on feet as place in between the toes is the popular place.
  • Biting at the hintquarters

Lone star tick

Lone star ticks easily stick and bite dogs, cats and people. The grown-ups are brown in color with a white spot in the middle of the back. Wooded areas being their homes, these ticks are very often found in areas along brooks and river bottoms. This tick carries and causes the disease Ehrlichiosis.

Signs and symptoms

  • Red scaly flaky skin
  • Shaking the head as place behind the ears is the popular place for ticks to live.

Brown dog tick

Also known as “Kennel” or “house” tick, these ticks rarely sticks to humans. Brown Dog tick attaches itself to dogs. Contrast to others, this species of tick lifecycle allows it to survive and develop indoors. They are primarily found in kennels and indoors where dogs live. They are not much harmful to dogs, as they do not transmit any type of disease except biting dogs and causing irritation.

Signs and symptoms

  • Shaking the head
  • Scratching

Here are the most common diseases caused due to ticks:

  • Lyme disease
  • Tick paralysis
  • Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
  • Hot Spots
  • Ehrlichiosis
  • Skin Infections

Treatment and Prevention Measures of Ticks

  • As the famous quote goes – ‘Prevention is better than cure’, it is crucial that you take proper care of pets and environment to protect both from Tick attack.
  • Keep your house and surroundings clean.
  • If possible, regularly spray pesticides in the open yard.
  • Treat your home and yard with anti-tick sprays or foams.
  • When dogs have ticks on them, give a bath with a pet shampoo that kills ticks.
  • Consult your vet about different types of preventive medications available for tick control.
  • A monthly topical or oral treatment is the best way to control ticks.
  • Scalibor Tick collar for dogs is also useful in preventing ticks attack on your pets.
  • Products like Frontline Plus, K9 Advantix II are highly effective in treating ticks on dogs.

Well, taking care of your pet and surroundings properly, you can prevent most of these ticks from infecting your dog and house. Regularly treating your dogs with flea and tick preventives greatly helps to keep away these external parasites.