Ticks — they’re revolting little parasites that cause irritation and disease in animals and humans alike. Fortunately, tick bites can usually be prevented before they happen. Tick repellents are effective and easy to obtain. If you live in an area where ticks are abundant, ask your vet for a good anti-tick measure for your dog, such as insecticidal sprays or shampoos, or an all-over systemic product such as Frontline.

It’s true that ticks can transmit serious diseases such as Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever, but in order to do so they need to stay attached for significant amount of time — usually more than 24 hours. The best way of reducing your risk for a secondary infection is to have a routine for detecting ticks, and once found, taking care of them immediately.

The common American dog tick is brown, and can resemble a blood blister or a mole. Other ticks are black, and some females are dark red. Most ticks turn a grayish color and blow up like a balloon when they’ve had their fill of blood.

To remove a tick from your dog, use a pair of tweezers or forceps to grab the exposed portion of its body, as near to the head as possible. You don’t want to try to pull it out with your fingers and inadvertently come into contact with any disease it’s carrying.

Although you’ll want to get the tick’s head and mouth if possible, don’t be overly concerned if they remain stuck in your dog skin. Although they might lead to temporary irritation, the leftover parts will not harm your dog. Just be sure to rub an ample amount of antiseptic over the bitten area after you’ve removed as much of the tick as possible. Again, avoid touching the tick with your hands.