Ticks are unwelcome hitchhikers that most owners will find on their dogs from time to time, usually after a nice ramble across the countryside.

Ticks are blood-sucking parasites related to spiders, they will climb vegetation and wait for a mammal to pass by, this could be a deer, hedgehog, your dog or even you. Once they have jumped onto an animal the tick will find an area of thin skin, where they will grasp on and insert their mouthparts. They excrete anti-clotting agent to prevent blood clots from stopping the flow of their blood meal. Depending on the life stage of the tick, it could attach itself to your dog for a period of one to two weeks.

Ticks are normally inactive in winter, becoming active again in spring and early summer, their activity reduces through the summer months, and then there is a second peak of activity in the autumn.

How might my dog become infected with ticks?

In the United Kingdom, the most common species of tick likely to affect your dog is the sheep tick, Ixodes ricinus or the hedgehog tick, Ixodes hexagonus. Habitats such as heathland, moors, and woodland are favoured by ticks, there is an increased presence in deer parks due to the availability of hosts. Walking your dog in the countryside will mean they are at an increased risk of ticks.

How do I know if my dog has a tick?

Ticks can be tricky to spot amongst your dog's hair. The most common area to find a tick is on your dog's head and legs, although they can attach anywhere on an animal's body. Ticks will appear as grey or brown immobile growths or wart on your pet. As they feed on blood their bodies enlarge and they become easier to identify.

The bites of ticks can cause local irritation and inflammation, if they are scratched off and mouthparts are left buried in the skin a small abscess can result. When present in very large numbers they may cause substantial blood loss in young animals causing anaemia. However, the main danger of ticks is in the infections that they can carry.

Should I be concerned about tick-borne diseases?

Tick-borne disease is caused by infectious agents living within the tick, being transferred to your dog through the tick salivary fluids. Signs of a disease transmitted by ticks may appear either when the tick is still present or after it has dropped off. The incidence of tick-borne diseases in British dogs has been rising.

Lyme disease (borreliosis) is the only disease carried by UK ticks. Infected dogs may develop a fever, lose their appetite, or show signs of lethargy or arthritis. In chronic cases, Lyme disease can cause kidney, heart or nerve problems which can become fatal. These symptoms may not show for a long time after the infected tick has fallen off. If you are at all concerned that your dog is showing symptoms of Lyme disease book an appointment with your local vet. Humans can get Lyme disease too if bitten by an infected tick.

If your pet becomes ill after travelling abroad, ensure your vet is informed about where they have been in case they need to consider other tick-borne diseases not usually present in the United Kingdom.

How can I protect my dog from ticks?

Examine your dog's coat on a daily basis and completely remove any ticks you find as soon as possible.

Use a 'tick remover' to help you extract the tick. A tick remover is hook-shaped with a slot that slides either side of the tick. This should be gently twisted several times to remove the mouthparts from your dog. Once removed examine the tick before disposal to ensure the tick is intact and there are no mouthparts still present in your dog's skin. Gently clean the area after removal of the tick. If you are unsure if what you have found is a tick, or how to remove it, your local veterinary practice will be able to help.

Use a tick control product, such as Frontline Spot On, on a regular basis to reduce the number of ticks that can attach to your dog and reduce the chances of any ticks that do attach from spreading tick-borne diseases. You may use a tick control product all year round, but it is of the greatest importance during the peak activity times of spring and autumn. Protect My Pet will help to ensure you never miss a dose by having your tick preventative arriving in the post, just when it is needed.

Avoid walking your dog in areas known to have a large tick population, particularly at the times of year when ticks are known to be most active.

Humans can also be a food source for ticks, remember to protect yourself when walking in parks and woodlands. Tuck your trousers into socks and check your legs and ankles for ticks when you get home.

Sign up to Protect My Pet before the 31st May 2018 to receive a free tick remover tool. To redeem use code GoodByeTicks at the checkout.*

Ticks are unwelcome hitchhikers that you may find on your cat from time to time, particularly if they spend time travelling through scrubland or fields. A recent study found 6.6% of cats are infested with ticks.

Ticks are blood-sucking parasites related to spiders, they will climb vegetation and wait for a mammal to pass by, this could be a deer, hedgehog, your cat or even you. Once they have jumped onto an animal the tick will find an area of thin skin, where they will grasp on and insert their mouthparts. They excrete anti-clotting agent to prevent blood clots from stopping the flow of their blood meal. Depending on the life stage of the tick, it could attach itself to your cat for a period of one to two weeks.

Tick activity is highly seasonal with peak activity in the UK occurring in spring and early summer, with cats experiencing a second marked seasonal peak in the autumn. Recent data now shows that the current UK climate allows ticks to be active and attaching to pets throughout the year in most parts of the country, though still with marked seasonal increases.

How might my cat become infected with ticks?

In the United Kingdom, the most common species of tick likely to affect your cat is the sheep tick, Ixodes ricinus. Ticks are most often found in habitats such as heathland, moors, and woodland, there is an increased presence in deer parks due to the availability of hosts. Cats with access to the countryside, particularly where there is abundant wildlife, are at an increased risk of ticks.

How do I know if my cat has a tick?

Ticks can be tricky to spot amongst your cat's hair. The most common areas to find ticks is on the non-hairy and thin-skinned areas, such as the face, ears, underarms and between toes. Ticks will appear as grey or brown immobile growths or wart on your pet. As they feed on blood their bodies enlarge and they become easier to identify.

The bites of ticks can cause local irritation and inflammation, if they are scratched off and mouthparts are left buried in the skin a small abscess can result. When present in very large numbers they may cause substantial blood loss in young animals causing anaemia. However, the main danger of ticks is in the infections that they can carry.

Should I be concerned about tick-borne diseases?

Tick-borne disease is caused by infectious agents living within the tick, being transferred to your cat through the tick salivary fluids. Cats tend to be more resistant to tick-borne diseases than dogs.

Lyme disease (borreliosis) is the only disease carried by UK ticks, it causes disease to humans bitten by an infected tick. Lyme disease does not appear to affect cats, however, any tick removed from your cat might be a carrier, therefore they should be disposed of carefully to ensure they do not bite any humans to spread their infection.

If your pet becomes ill after travelling abroad, ensure your vet is informed about where they have been in case they need to consider other tick-borne diseases not usually present in the United Kingdom.

How can I protect my cat from ticks?

You can protect your cat from ticks by physically removing the ticks and using preventative products.

While stroking your cat, feel all over for small lumps and bumps that could be a tick. Pets should be checked every 24 hours, particularly during the high-risk periods of spring and autumn.

Use a 'tick remover' to help you extract the tick. A tick remover is hook-shaped with a slot that slides either side of the tick. This should be gently twisted several times to remove the mouthparts from your cat.

Once removed examine the tick to ensure the tick is intact and there are no mouthparts still present in your cat's skin. Dispose of the tick carefully to ensure it can not reattach itself to you or your cat. Gently clean the area after removal of the tick.

If you are unsure if what you have found is a tick, or how to remove it, your local veterinary practice will be able to help.

Use a tick control product, such as Frontline Spot On, on a regular basis to reduce the number of ticks that can attach to your cat and to reduce the chances of any ticks that do attach from spreading tick-borne diseases. You may use a tick control product all year round, but it is of the greatest importance during the peak activity times of spring and autumn.

It is difficult to restrict where your cat goes when it is outdoors, if you live near an area with a large tick population stay vigilant and ensure your pet's tick prevention is up to date. Protect My Pet will help to ensure you never forget a dose.

Humans can also be a food source for ticks, remember to protect yourself when walking in parks and woodlands. Tuck your trousers into socks and check your legs and ankles for ticks when you get home.

Sign up to Protect My Pet before the 31st May 2018 to receive a free tick remover tool. To redeem use code GoodByeTicks at the checkout.*