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You are stroking your dog after a walk when a new little bump seems to have legs. Ticks feed on blood and can transmit infections, but finding one is a prompt for careful removal, not a diagnosis of disease. PDSA recommends regular checks, especially after walks through long grass1.
Keep a purpose-made tick remover where you can find it. If you are unsure how to use it, ask your veterinary practice for help. Removing a tick promptly and carefully reduces the opportunity for disease transmission2.
What the UK studies really tell us
In the Big Tick Project, veterinary practices examined 12,096 dogs between April and July 2015. After excluding records that did not meet the analysis criteria, 2,182 of 7,102 dogs had ticks: 30.7%. The researchers thought recruitment and reporting probably inflated that estimate. It is not a current prevalence figure for every UK dog3.
Dogs described as using only urban habitats were no less likely to carry ticks in that survey than dogs using rural habitats. That is a useful reason to include town walks in the conversation about prevention. It does not show that every park carries the same risk as every woodland3.
A separate study published in 2025 sampled 84 sites across 36 recreational areas in England and Wales during 2021–2023. It detected Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato bacteria in 228 of 3,914 sampled Ixodes ricinus nymphs, or 5.8%. Results varied substantially between sites. These were ticks collected from vegetation, not a survey of sick dogs4.
The researchers used standardised vegetation sampling, with extra ticks collected for infection testing where needed. They described the work as a snapshot. The proportion carrying bacteria and the density of infected ticks answer different questions; neither gives a precise probability that your dog will become ill after today's outing4.
You do not need to memorise either percentage to make a useful plan. Tell the practice where your dog actually walks and what you have found on them. A holiday, a different walking route or repeated tick discoveries gives you something concrete to discuss at a prevention review.
Make the check part of coming home
PDSA explains that ticks crawl onto dogs from their surroundings; they do not jump or fly. A newly attached tick can be very small and may resemble a skin tag. Look closely before trying to remove anything, and get advice if you are unsure what the bump is1.
ESCCAP's veterinary guidance includes the face, ears, armpits, between the toes, groin and around the anus among common attachment sites. Ticks can occur elsewhere too. It recommends daily inspection and prompt removal, and notes that ticks may be encountered throughout the year, despite seasonal peaks5.
Choose a moment when you can see what you are doing. Think of the check as an ordinary part of the post-walk routine, alongside putting the lead away. If someone else walks your dog, agree who will check and where they will record a tick discovery so the information reaches the person arranging veterinary care.
Use the technique for the tool you have
For a tick-twisting hook, PDSA advises sliding the tool beneath the tick close to the skin, choosing a size that fits. Rotate in one direction without pulling upwards until it loosens, then lift the tool away. Do not squeeze the tick's body. Ask the practice for help if removal is difficult2.
Using a tick-twisting hook
ESCCAP advises wearing gloves and avoiding oil, alcohol or ether on an attached tick. Dispose of removed ticks so they cannot attach to another host. A chemical applied to make a tick let go is not a substitute for careful mechanical removal5.
Take the tool or its instructions to the practice if you want a demonstration. Different devices are used differently, so make the request specific: “Can you show me how this one works?” That is easier to follow later than trying to remember a mixture of techniques from several videos.
Lyme disease: notice changes, not a target rash
Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia bacteria transmitted through infected tick bites. PDSA lists signs including limping or swollen joints, fever, low energy, reduced appetite and swollen glands. Dogs do not usually develop the classic target-shaped rash associated with Lyme disease in people, so do not wait for that mark6.
Your vet considers the symptoms and tick-exposure history and may use blood tests, which have limitations. Most affected pets recover well with treatment, while complications can make the outlook worse. Arrange veterinary advice promptly if signs develop, and mention a recent tick even if it has already been removed6.
PDSA advises contacting the practice if your dog seems unwell after a tick, or if the bite becomes red, swollen or infected. Ask for advice if you think mouthparts remain. Successful removal from an otherwise well dog does not automatically require a veterinary appointment1.
Write down observations in ordinary language: which leg seemed sore, what dinner was left, when the dog became quieter. You do not need to decide whether those details fit Lyme disease before calling. They help the team decide what to investigate and how soon to see your dog.
Babesiosis can involve dogs that stayed in the UK
Babesiosis is a different infection. A 2017 investigation confirmed Babesia canis in blood samples from three dogs associated with an outbreak in Harlow, Essex, during 2015–2016. None of the affected dogs had travelled abroad. The parasite was also found in local Dermacentor reticulatus ticks, supporting transmission in that area7.
That historical cluster demonstrates a possibility, not widespread infection in every British tick. The report described pale mucous membranes, weakness, loss of appetite and, in one dog, dark urine. Report these signs urgently, including where your dog has walked and any travel or import history. Testing is needed to identify the cause7.
| Observation | Useful detail |
|---|---|
| A tick was found | Date, body site and where your dog walked |
| Your dog seems different | The change you noticed and when it began |
| Travel or arrival from abroad | Countries, dates and the available treatment record |
The local findings should also stop a familiar conversation going astray. “They have never been abroad” is useful information to give the vet. It should not close the discussion about what an unwell dog might need checked.
Review prevention for your dog's circumstances
ESCCAP recommends protection matched to exposure and the period when ticks are active. Product coverage and duration can differ, including between tick species. Regular checks still matter during treatment. Discuss the actual product and label with the practice; a general flea-and-worm routine does not describe every aspect of tick protection5.
Ask the team to put the plan in terms you can use: what is covered, when the next treatment is due and what to do if a dose is missed or you find attached ticks. Bring the packaging or a clear photograph of it. This is especially useful when more than one person buys or gives treatments.
Check the people who shared the walk
The NHS recommends checking people and pets after outdoor time, keeping to clear paths and covering exposed skin. For a tick on a person, its advice describes fine-tipped tweezers close to the skin and a slow upward pull without squeezing, followed by cleaning. This differs from the rotation used with a dog tick-twisting hook8.
Keep the remover with your walking kit and agree the routine with anyone who cares for your dog. Then the next small bump has a clear next step, and you can get on with enjoying the places you walk together.
Sources and further reading8 sources
The small numbers in the article link to the source behind each fact. Sources open on their own websites.
- Ticks on dogs
- How To Remove a Tick From A Dog Or Cat
- Ticks infesting domestic dogs in the UK: a large-scale surveillance programme
- An update on Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. prevalence and hazard in ticks at recreational areas in England and Wales between 2021 and 2023
- Ticks
- Lyme disease in dogs and cats
- Emergence of Babesia canis in southern England
- Lyme disease