Q&A for How to Identify a Deer Tick

Return to Full Article

Coming soon

Add New Question

Question

What does a tick look like?

Melissa Nelson, DVM, PhD
Veterinarian
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.

Melissa Nelson, DVM, PhD

Veterinarian

Expert Answer

Ticks can look like tiny seeds (like a poppy seed) or like small brown-red flat oval insects.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 4 Helpful 23
Question

How soon after being bitten by a tick do symptoms appear?

Melissa Nelson, DVM, PhD
Veterinarian
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.

Melissa Nelson, DVM, PhD

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.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 7 Helpful 31
Question

Can you see deer ticks?

Melissa Nelson, DVM, PhD
Veterinarian
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.

Melissa Nelson, DVM, PhD

Veterinarian

Expert Answer

You can see deer ticks but deer ticks tend to be very, very small and therefore they are easy to miss.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 9 Helpful 26
Question

What is the difference between a tick and a deer tick?

Melissa Nelson, DVM, PhD
Veterinarian
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.

Melissa Nelson, DVM, PhD

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.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 7 Helpful 14
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.

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

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.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 21 Helpful 46
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.

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

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.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 22 Helpful 46