Ticks: an expanding threat to dogs

There are two different families of ticks that affect dogs–hard ticks and soft ticks. The hard ticks are the most important group in North America. They are arachnids, like spiders, and most stages have eight legs, a tiny head, and a large round body that often expands when it fills with its host’s blood.¹

Ticks can be found all over the world. They prefer higher humidity levels and temperate climates. In unfavorable weather, ticks retreat to sheltered microclimates like leaf litter where they wait for conditions to improve. Forests are a particularly favorite habitat as they provide both an ideal environment and plenty of juicy critters for snacking.

Video: How to Find Ticks on Dogs

One good sign you’re in tick country is the presence of deer. For some species of ticks, deer are like a Greyhound bus. One single deer can produce 500,000 tick larvae a year.^2,3 And since a tick can lay thousands of eggs at a time_⁴, you can see how the tick population can grow pretty fast.

Ticks: Coming soon to an animal near you

There was once a misguided notion that ticks were only a problem for those who lived in rural or wooded areas -- and most of us were unlikely to encounter them. That view has significantly changed.

Video: Tick Lifecycle.mp4

Ticks are more numerous, found in more geographic areas and infecting more hosts than in the past. There are a number of reasons for this growth:⁵

• Changes in agricultural practice. As farms have changed, so have the habitats of the tick, causing it to adjust to new lifestyles and seek out other environments.
• Decreased application of pesticides. A number of factors that have led to the decrease in environmental application of pesticides. The result of less pesticide is more pests, including ticks.
• Natural climate fluctuations. Even if we set aside the debate about the causes of climate change, all agree that climate can and does change -- and ticks have learned to change with it. Modern climate changes have greatly expanded the habitats for ticks. Local weather patterns can also affect the hosts which ticks feed on,⁵ leading to an increase in tick populations.
• Wildlife conservation, relocation and restocking, or unchecked growth. While it`s good that we`re working to save endangered species, we’re ignoring other species whose populations are growing too fast. For example, populations of white-tailed deer and wild turkey have dramatically increased over the last century.⁵ Both are excellent hosts for ticks. More hosts, more ticks, more tick problems.
• Reforestation. While it`s important to replenish the trees we cut down to reduce carbon dioxide levels, the increase in forested land provide more ideal habitats for ticks.
• Urban sprawl into wildlife habitats. As cities spread into what were once open and rural areas, people come into increased contact with ticks and their hosts.

Keep in mind that not all flea products are effective against ticks. It’s important that you talk to your veterinarian to see which product is right for your dog.

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