How much blood does a tick on a dog drink? - briefly
A single tick generally ingests between 0.5 and 1 milliliter of canine blood over the course of its entire feeding period. The exact volume depends on the tick’s species, developmental stage, and length of attachment.
How much blood does a tick on a dog drink? - in detail
A tick attached to a canine extracts a very small volume of blood, typically measured in microliters. The exact quantity depends on the tick’s species, developmental stage, and feeding duration.
- Larvae: ingest 0.2–0.5 µL per 24 hours; total intake rarely exceeds 1 µL before detaching.
- Nymphs: consume 0.5–2 µL per day; over a 3‑day attachment may reach 4–6 µL.
- Adult females: the most voracious, taking 5–10 µL per day; a 5‑day feeding can total 25–50 µL, enough to support egg production.
- Adult males: feed minimally, often less than 1 µL in total, primarily for hydration.
Feeding time influences volume. Ticks remain attached for several days to weeks; blood intake rises sharply during the latter half of the engorgement phase, when the abdomen expands noticeably. Species such as Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor variabilis follow this pattern, while Rhipicephalus sanguineus may achieve higher volumes because of its preference for warm‑blooded hosts.
Environmental temperature and host activity affect metabolism. Warmer conditions accelerate tick metabolism, increasing daily blood consumption by up to 20 %. Dogs with higher body temperature or increased peripheral blood flow provide easier access, marginally raising intake.
Overall, a fully engorged adult female can remove roughly 0.03–0.05 mL of canine blood, a fraction of the total circulatory volume. This amount is insufficient to cause anemia in a healthy dog but can transmit pathogens during the feeding process.