What happens to a tick after it bites a dog? - briefly
Once attached, the tick engorges on the dog’s blood and stays in place for several days while it matures. After feeding, it drops off to molt or lay eggs, potentially having transmitted pathogens.
What happens to a tick after it bites a dog? - in detail
After a canine host is pierced, the tick inserts its hypostome, a barbed feeding tube, into the skin. Saliva containing anticoagulants and immunomodulatory proteins is released, allowing continuous blood ingestion while preventing clot formation. The parasite then enters a rapid engorgement phase lasting several days, during which its body weight can increase up to 100‑fold.
During this period, the tick may acquire and transmit pathogens present in the host’s bloodstream. Common agents include Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (anaplasmosis), and Ehrlichia canis (ehrlichiosis). Transmission typically occurs after 24–48 hours of attachment, as the pathogen migrates from the tick’s salivary glands into the dog’s tissue.
When the blood meal is complete, the tick detaches spontaneously. Detachment is facilitated by the tick’s reduced attachment strength after engorgement and by the host’s grooming behavior. The parasite drops to the ground, where it proceeds to the next developmental stage:
- Larva → Nymph (if originally a larva) or Nymph → Adult (if originally a nymph).
- Molting occurs in the environment, requiring appropriate humidity and temperature.
- Reproduction follows in adult females, which lay thousands of eggs after a blood meal.
If removal occurs before the 24‑hour threshold, pathogen transmission risk is minimal. Proper removal involves grasping the tick’s mouthparts with fine tweezers, pulling straight upward without crushing the body, and disinfecting the bite site. Failure to remove the tick promptly can lead to prolonged feeding, increased pathogen load, and secondary inflammation at the attachment site.