How to find a tick in a dog’s fur? - briefly
Inspect the coat by parting the hair with your fingers, concentrating on the ears, neck, groin, and between the toes, and look for small, rounded, dark specks attached to the skin. If a parasite is seen, grasp it with fine‑point tweezers as close to the skin as possible and pull upward with steady pressure.
How to find a tick in a dog’s fur? - in detail
Regularly examine the dog’s coat, paying particular attention to areas where ticks commonly attach: behind the ears, under the collar, between the toes, around the tail base, and in the armpits. Use a fine-toothed comb or a gloved hand to separate the hair and expose the skin.
Procedure
- Choose a well‑lit environment; natural daylight or a bright lamp provides the best visual contrast.
- Part the fur with a comb, moving from the outer edges toward the body. Ticks appear as small, dark, rounded bodies often resembling a seed.
- Look for a raised, darker spot that does not flatten when pressed. A live tick may move slightly; a dead one remains still.
- If a tick is found, grasp it with fine‑pointed tweezers as close to the skin as possible. Pull upward with steady, even pressure, avoiding twisting or squeezing the body.
- After removal, disinfect the bite site with an antiseptic solution and store the tick in a sealed container for identification if needed.
- Monitor the dog for signs of infection or illness over the next several days; contact a veterinarian if redness, swelling, or unusual behavior occurs.
Preventive measures
- Apply a veterinarian‑approved tick repellent regularly.
- Keep grass and leaf litter trimmed around the yard.
- Bathe the dog weekly during peak tick season to reduce infestation risk.
Consistent inspection combined with proper removal technique minimizes the chance of disease transmission and keeps the animal comfortable.