· 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.

Ears, inside and out. The fold of the ear flap is a favourite attachment site.
Around the head and muzzle. Especially if your dog noses in tall grass.
Neck and collar area. Lift the collar and run a hand underneath.
Armpits. Where the leg meets the body. Common spot.
Belly and groin. Thin fur and warm skin — ticks love it.
Between toes. Spread each pad. Ticks often attach where they first land.
Base of the tail. The last spot before the back legs.

If you find one

Remove and save.

Same protocol as for humans: fine-tipped tweezers, grip at the mouthparts, straight pull. Save the tick on an index card with the date and bite location, just as you would with a human bite. Dogs are sentinels for tick-borne disease in the household; a tick that fed on your dog tells your vet what’s circulating in your area.

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.

Common worry

Can my pet give me Lyme?

Direct transmission

No.

Lyme disease is not transmitted directly between dogs and humans, or between dogs. Your dog cannot infect you by sharing food, water, the couch, or a tongue-on-face. The bacteria need a tick bite to move between hosts.

Indirect transmission

Yes — via ticks.

Your dog can absolutely bring ticks into the house that then bite you. This is the actual pet-to-human pathway and it’s common. Prevention on the dog blocks this almost entirely.

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.

Removing the attached tick almost always reverses tick paralysis within 24 to 72 hours. The treatment is mechanical: find and remove every tick. If your dog suddenly can’t use their hind legs and you find an engorged tick, that’s very likely the cause. Get to the vet — not because removal needs the vet, but because the vet will look for additional ticks you may have missed.

Tick identification — useful for knowing what came off your dog.
Removal protocol — same for dogs and humans.
In the field — including the role pets play in bringing ticks home.

Last reviewed May 29, 2026

General information only — not medical advice. In an emergency, call 911. Read the full disclaimer.