Head and Ears
When checking your dog, make sure to look on the outside of the ears and also deep into the ear, because the ticks can get attached and go unnoticed for a long time. If your dog is shaking their head or scratching their ear, it’s a sure sign that something is off, and you’ll want to take a look.
Toes
Since ticks hide in places where they won’t be found, crawling in between your dog’s toes and attaching there is a common occurrence. You can find them in between the toes or even on the bottom of the foot near the pads. If you notice your dog licking and chewing their feet, there might be something bothering them, and that something could be a tick.
Tail
Ticks like dark, moist areas, so the underside of the tail makes a great home. Since most owners aren’t regularly checking the underside of the dog’s tail, especially near the base, a tick can go unnoticed for quite some time. If your dog has thick fur, you’ll want to make sure to comb through it and search thoroughly. A fine comb will likely catch a tick that’s attached itself under the tail.
Groin
Most dog owners aren’t keen on checking their dog’s genital regions. However, this area is another dark, moist region on the body that ticks really like hanging around in. Ticks can become attached and stay hidden by the dog’s coat and tail for a long time.
Eyelids
A lot of ticks go unnoticed near the eyelids because they’re mistaken for skin tags or eye discharge. Unfortunately, by the time many owners realize there is a tick on their dog’s eyelid, the tick has been attached for quite a while. This isn’t ideal, because the longer a tick stays attached, the more likely transmission of disease is to occur.
Under the Collar
Ticks can become attached underneath your dog’s collar without anyone noticing, usually until the tick is large enough to be seen — which means it’s been there for a while. Sometimes, removing and checking the collar itself will prevent a tick from attaching if it’s just crawling around underneath. Whatever the case, removing the collar to do a thorough check for ticks is important.
Under Their Arms
Another common place for ticks to attach is high up where the dog’s front legs meet their body – what we would call the armpit region. It’s a nice, dark area where it’s difficult for the dog to reach or for you to see.
Full article written for the AKC by Harriet Meyers can be found here.
