Q&A for How to Identify a Deer Tick

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  • Question
    What does a tick look like?
    Dr. Nelson is a Veterinarian who specializes in Companion and Large Animal Medicine in Minnesota, where she has over 18 years of experience as a veterinarian in a rural clinic. She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Minnesota in 1998.
    Veterinarian
    Expert Answer
    Ticks can look like tiny seeds (like a poppy seed) or like small brown-red flat oval insects.
  • Question
    How soon after being bitten by a tick do symptoms appear?
    Dr. Nelson is a Veterinarian who specializes in Companion and Large Animal Medicine in Minnesota, where she has over 18 years of experience as a veterinarian in a rural clinic. She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Minnesota in 1998.
    Veterinarian
    Expert Answer
    This varies by disease. Sometimes signs appear within 24-48 hours; sometimes it can take as long as 10 days or even longer.
  • Question
    Can you see deer ticks?
    Dr. Nelson is a Veterinarian who specializes in Companion and Large Animal Medicine in Minnesota, where she has over 18 years of experience as a veterinarian in a rural clinic. She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Minnesota in 1998.
    Veterinarian
    Expert Answer
    You can see deer ticks but deer ticks tend to be very, very small and therefore they are easy to miss.
  • Question
    What is the difference between a tick and a deer tick?
    Dr. Nelson is a Veterinarian who specializes in Companion and Large Animal Medicine in Minnesota, where she has over 18 years of experience as a veterinarian in a rural clinic. She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Minnesota in 1998.
    Veterinarian
    Expert Answer
    A deer tick is very small when not engorged so can look like a tiny black seed. Regular dog ticks are generally bigger and easier to see.
  • Question
    Do dog ticks bite humans?
    Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
    Veterinarian
    Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
    Veterinarian
    Expert Answer
    Yes, unfortunately they do. While diseases are not transmitted from dog to human via the tick, people can still acquire tick-borne disease, depending on whether that particular tick was carrying a parasite which causes disease in people.
  • Question
    Should I consult a doctor after finding a small tick on the back of my neck?
    Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
    Veterinarian
    Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
    Veterinarian
    Expert Answer
    Yes. When you remove the tick, keep it in a small sealed bottle so the doctor can identify it. Ticks carry different diseases, some of which are transmissible to people, and your doctor can decide if preemptive antibiotics are appropriate, or if monitoring for symptoms is sufficient.
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