Said It Here

How to make sure I found all the ticks on my dog

Finding every tick in a dog's coat is difficult because they easily blend in with fur, skin folds, and debris like weed seeds. This makes it hard to catch them before they attach and feed, leaving owners constantly worried about missing one and risking their pet's health.

What people tried

Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.

  1. 1
    Brushing the dog with a wire brush followed by a fine tooth flea comb
  2. 2
    Using chemical flea and tick collars, topical liquids, sprays, pills, or medicated treats
  3. 3
    Avoiding tick-infested areas by walking in vegetation-free or cemented areas
  4. 4
    Using battery-powered hand-held insect zappers
  5. 5
    Shaving the dog's hair to expose the skin
  6. 6
    Spreading tick granules in the yard
  7. 7
    Spraying alcohol on the affected area and washing hands
  8. 8
    Bathing the dog with flea and tick shampoo
  9. 9
    Monitoring the dog over the next couple of weeks for symptoms

In their words

Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.

How can I be confident that I have removed all ticks from my dog?source ↗

I catch and kill ticks in her fur several times per week, but I have been evaded and only found the tick once it has begun to feed 4 times so far this spring.source ↗

MackM · Pets Stack Exchange · 6 upvotes

I just pulled a tick off my dogs head unknowingly thinking it was a weed seed she got in her hair.source ↗

I’m paranoid about my babies so I’d just like to know if she will be alright.source ↗

_crabby_abby_ · r/dogs · 4 upvotes

Where this came up

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