Brown Dog Tick Carrier of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Brown Dog Tick Pest Control
The brown dog tick is found throughout the world. This species gets its name for the brown color and the fact that it is usually found on 
pet dogs. While brown dog ticks do not usually bite humans, they may do so if the dog host is no longer available. Brown dog ticks are known carriers of Rocky Mountain spotted fever and several other tick-borne diseases like canine babesia and canine ehrlichiosis.
Appearance
Brown dog ticks are about 3 mm long unengorged or up to 1/2″ when engorged with blood. They are usually reddish brown but their color can be a gray-blue when engorged. As larvae, brown dog ticks have six legs. Nymphs and adults have eight legs. Adults have an oval-shaped, flattened body.
Behavior
Brown dog ticks usually infest dogs. While they usually attach close to the ears or between the toes, they can be found anywhere on the dog at various stages of life. Unlike most species of ticks, brown dog ticks can go through their entire life cycle indoors. These ticks thrive indoors in dry, warm conditions such as a kennel, which has earned this species the nickname “kennel ticks.”
This type of tick is referred to as a three-host tick, which means it drops off the host after a meal but before each developmental stage. It is possible for a brown dog tick to remain on the same host for its entire life.
A tick infestation in the home is usually introduced by a pet dog. Sometimes the infestation is not apparent until ticks are visible crawling on floors or walls. When the problem has become this apparent this is when you are going to need professional help and flea and tick pest control is what you need by a pest control company, call us today at (915) 591-2847
Reproduction
After a blood meal, a female brown dog tick will lay up to 3,000 eggs on a flat surface. These eggs are usually found on window casings, 
baseboards, furniture, the edges of rugs, and curtains. The female dies shortly after depositing the eggs, which hatch in 20 to 60 days. The tiny larvae will attach to a dog as soon as possible, but they can live up to 8 months without blood. After attaching to a host, the larvae will become engorged and leave the host to molt in one to three weeks and transform into a nymph. The nymph will once more find a host and engorge over a period of 4 to 9 days. The nymph will detach and molt into an adult flea in 12 to 29 days, then seek a dog again. Adult ticks can survive for up to 19 months without food. After engorging on blood for up to 50 days, the adult will mate, drop off the dog, and lay eggs.
Ticks can produce up to 4 generations per year under ideal conditions.
Managing Brown Dog Ticks
Brown dog tick infestations can be difficult to control, especially a large infestation in the home. A large-scale infestation requires professional pest control and a four-stage process that involves sanitation of the home, treatment of the dog, indoor treatments, and outdoor pest control. If you are dealing with a brown dog tick infestation on your dog or in your home, contact Pest Defense Solutions today for help. Call us at (915) 591-2847
American Dog Tick Secrets Finally Exposed
The American dog tick or wood tick is found in almost every area of the United States and it is the only species of tick found only in North America. American dog ticks prefer dogs as hosts, unlike many ticks that infest deer and other wildlife. The wood tick is the number one carrier of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, but it can also transmit other diseases to pets.
Appearance
The American dog tick is about 5 mm (3/16″) when unengorged and three times larger, or 15 mm, when engorged with blood. American dog ticks are brown with mottled gray or whitish patterns on the back and a flattened, oval-shaped body. As larvae, they have six legs. Nymph and adult ticks have eight legs.
Behavior
It is believed that wood ticks are attracted to the scent of animals and this is why they are commonly found along trails and roads. American dog ticks usually live in grassy areas of low vegetation where large mammals like dogs will pass through. Unlike the brown dog tick, the America dog tick does not survive for long indoors.
Like other ticks, these arachnids are parasites that feed on a host’s blood. Ticks use claws and hairs on their body to crawl through a host’s fur before digging under the skin with specialized mouthparts. The mouth releases an anesthetic as the host drinks.
Reproduction
After mating on the dog host, adult female ticks will detach and find a place to lay eggs. When indoors, this is often done in a potted plant, but outdoors ticks will lay eggs underneath leaves in a garden. A single American dog tick can lay up to 5,000 eggs at once.
When the larvae emerge from the eggs, they will seek out small hosts like mice, squirrels, and chipmunks and feed until they are engorged before dropping off and developing into nymphs. Nymphs will attach to a new host and drink for about 6 days before dropping off and molting into an adult tick. As an adult, the tick will seek a third host, feed, and mate on the host. After mating, the male tick dies and the female drops off to lay eggs.
An American dog tick can develop fully into an adult within 3 months when conditions are ideal, but their development can take up to two years.
If you find a feeding tick on a pet, remove it by grasping it close to the mouth with tweezers, applying gentle pressure until the tick releases. Do not squeeze the body, as this can increase the risk of spreading disease. Make sure the mouthparts are completely removed from the skin.
If you have a tick infestation around your property, contact Pest Defense Solutions for a customized strategy to protect yourself and your pets from bites.