Signs & symptoms of ticks on dogs

Some symptoms of a potentially fatal tick presence on our dogs can go right under our noses. However, other indications of a possible tick bite, such as when your dog scoots his behind across your floor, are more obvious. According to Pets WebMD and Puppy Training Solutions, there are five common tick bite symptoms in dogs that are relatively easy for owners to detect.

If you cannot bring yourself to employ a rectal thermometer to check your dog's temperature, there are non-intrusive signs to look for that could indicate the dog may be suffering from a fever. According to dogsymptomcure.com, a dog might have a fever if she is shivering, coughing and sneezing. Symptoms of a fever also include the dog drooling, panting, crying, and excessive eating, drinking or sleeping. A dog may also endure difficulty breathing, restlessness, loss of balance, lack of appetite, diarrhoea and discharge from her eyes, ears and nose.

When the dog has not begged for food from his owners, or eaten his own treats or food for 24 hours, it may be an indication that something is seriously wrong. In turn, weight loss is another typical tick bite symptom in a dog.

If the dog experiences difficulty jumping onto beds and running, she may be in pain from having arthritis or swelling in her joints. Additionally, a dog might be in such severe pain due to arthritis and swelling in her joints that you see she is barely able to stand up from a lying or sitting position.

The dog may also have noticeable limping while he walks because of lameness, which consists of pain in a dog's body so extreme it hurts when he is simply touched by someone. According to Pets Web MD, lameness is often the only sign of infection from a tick bite.

When a dog shows signs of any of the symptoms mentioned, along with mild to severe lethargy and loss of interest in usual activities, it is likely that she is also in emotional pain. Yelping may be the dog's way of indicating she is hurting physically and mentally.

Your dog may not exhibit any visible signs of a tick bite but still be infected. Therefore, you should take your dog to a veterinarian and get him examined for other tick-bite symptoms. Ask your veterinarian for the best tick preventive measures to implement. If you suspect a tick bite has occurred, the sooner you get your loyal friend to the vet, the better the chance of him living a healthy, happy life for years to come.