· For pet owners ·
Ticks and pets.
A dog who runs in tall grass is one of the most efficient tick-delivery systems in Canada. Most of the ticks that end up on people in suburban yards arrived on a dog first. The prevention story for pets is simpler than for humans: ask your vet about a year-round prophylactic.
Why dogs matter
Dogs are tick magnets.
A questing tick on a blade of grass will grab the first warm furry leg that brushes past. That’s almost always a dog. Once on the dog, the tick can either feed in place or fall off in the house, looking for the next host — often, you. A dog who isn’t protected is the biggest single tick-exposure vector in many suburban households, even when the family isn’t spending time in the woods.
Three reasons
Why prevention matters more than checks alone.
- Ticks can hide in dog fur for hours and you won’t see them.
- An engorged tick on a dog has already been feeding for many hours.
- A tick that falls off your dog inside the house can still find a human host days later.
The dog tick check
A flat hand finds engorged ticks.
Take 30 seconds at the back door before the dog comes inside. Engorged ticks feel like small soft grapes hidden in fur. Unfed ticks are harder to find by feel; a fine-toothed flea comb works for those.
- 1
Ears, inside and out. The fold of the ear flap is a favourite attachment site.
- 2
Around the head and muzzle. Especially if your dog noses in tall grass.
- 3
Neck and collar area. Lift the collar and run a hand underneath.
- 4
Armpits. Where the leg meets the body. Common spot.
- 5
Belly and groin. Thin fur and warm skin — ticks love it.
- 6
Between toes. Spread each pad. Ticks often attach where they first land.
- 7
Base of the tail. The last spot before the back legs.
If you find one
Remove and save.
Prescription prevention
What your vet will likely recommend.
Four product categories dominate the Canadian market. All require a veterinary prescription. Consult your vet before starting any of these— product choice depends on your dog’s weight, breed (some collies and related breeds have sensitivity to certain isoxazolines), other medications, and your local tick species.
Bravecto
Oral chewable · 12 weeks
Single chewable tablet protects against ticks and fleas for 3 months. Popular for active outdoor dogs because of the long interval. Active ingredient: fluralaner (an isoxazoline).
NexGard
Oral chewable · monthly
Beef-flavoured chewable taken monthly. Same drug class as Bravecto (afoxolaner). Useful if you want shorter-interval coverage you can stop quickly.
Simparica · Simparica Trio
Oral chewable · monthly
Simparica covers fleas and ticks; Simparica Trio adds heartworm and intestinal worm protection in one tablet. Active ingredient: sarolaner.
Seresto collar
Worn collar · 8 months
Slow-release collar that protects against ticks and fleas for up to 8 months. Useful for dogs who don't reliably take oral medication, or as a supplement during peak season.
Important caveats
Always check with your vet.
- Isoxazolines (Bravecto, NexGard, Simparica) have a known rare side effect in dogs with neurological conditions or seizure history. Tell your vet if either applies.
- Most of these are not approved for cats. Do not give canine products to cats. Permethrin and isoxazolines have caused serious harm to cats. There are cat-specific options (e.g. Bravecto Plus for Cats); ask your vet.
- “Natural” alternatives — garlic, apple cider vinegar, essential oils — do not reliably prevent tick bites and can be toxic to pets in their own right.
Vaccinate, too
Three Lyme vaccines for dogs are licensed in Canada.
In established Lyme areas, vets often pair a vaccine with the year-round prevention product. The two do different jobs: the products kill ticks before they transmit anything; the vaccine prepares your dog’s immune system in case a tick still gets through. Most vets recommend both for dogs that spend time in long grass, wooded trails, or cottage country.
Nobivac Lyme
Merck · annual booster
Bacterin generating antibodies to both OspA and OspC, so it kills spirochetes in the tick AND in the dog. Initial two-dose series, then annual.
Vanguard crLyme
Zoetis · 15-month duration
Recombinant OspA plus a chimeric OspC. Labelled for 15-month duration of immunity, which can stretch the booster schedule.
Recombitek Lyme
Boehringer Ingelheim · annual
Recombinant OspA vaccine. Initial two-dose series, then annual boosters.
What to ask the vet
Is the vaccine worth it for my dog?
A note for humans
No Lyme vaccine for people yet.
Common worry
Can my pet give me Lyme?
Direct transmission
No.
Indirect transmission
Yes — via ticks.
Rare but striking
Tick paralysis in dogs.
A toxin in certain tick saliva — mostly Rocky Mountain wood tick and American dog tick in Canada — can cause ascending paralysis in dogs. It usually starts with weakness in the hind legs and progresses forward over hours. It looks alarming.
The good news
It resolves on removal.
Related
More from the field guide.
- Tick identification — useful for knowing what came off your dog.
- How to safely remove a tick — same for dogs and humans.
- In the field — including the role pets play in bringing ticks home.
- For my kid — for households where both the dog and the kids spend time outside.
Last reviewed
General information only — not medical advice. In an emergency, call 911. Read the full disclaimer.