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American dog tick

American dog tick

Dermacentor variabilis

A species of Dog ticks, Also known as Wood tick

The american dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) is a vector for several diseases that include Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Contrary to popular belief, they are not known harborers of Lyme Disease. This tick must stay attached for a period of up to 8 hours before diseases can spread.

Is the American dog tick Deadly?
Deadly
Bite Humans
Bite Humans
Bite Animals
Bite Animals
Cause Disease in Humans
Pathogenic
General Info About American dog tick
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Attributes of American dog tick
Colors
Brown
Black
Red
Habitat
wooded area; abandoned field
Adult Food Sources
Blood from larger mammals such as dogs, blood from medium-sized mammals like raccoons, blood from livestock (cows, horses), blood from humans, blood from other medium to large hosts
Larva Food Source
Blood from small mammals such as mice, blood from birds
Biting/stinging
The American dog tick may bite humans actively. Please stay away from it.
Allergy-causing
Not reported
Defensive attack
Not reported
Venomous
Not reported
Non-poisonous
Not reported
Predatory
Not reported
Biting animal or pet
Yes
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Species Status of American dog tick
Within the United States, the normal range is in the eastern part of the country, with some reports in California.
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Distribution Area of American dog tick
North America
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Adult Size of American dog tick
2 - 5 mm
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Predators of American dog tick Larvae
Amphibians like frogs and toads, various bird species, reptiles such as lizards and small snakes, predatory insects like ants and spiders
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Scientific Classification of American dog tick
Tips for Finding American dog tick
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Youth Habitat of American dog tick
Forests and Woodlands, Grasslands and Prairies, Urban and Suburban Areas, Agricultural and Cultivated Areas
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Adult Habitat of American dog tick
Forests and Woodlands, Grasslands and Prairies, Urban and Suburban Areas, Agricultural and Cultivated Areas
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How Can You Attract American dog tick
Since american dog tick are parasitic, they do not seek traditional food sources that traps could leverage; instead, they require a host for feeding.
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When is the Best Time to Observe American dog tick
The ideal time to find adult american dog tick is during the spring and early summer when they are most active and seeking hosts. For larvae and nymphs, late summer is a more suitable time as they become more active during this period.
Are American dog tick harmful?
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American dog tick bites pets and cause them to be sick. American dog tick can also bite humans.

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Where do American dog tick come from?

Without wings, ticks can not fly. So they are usually taken home by people or pets in outdoor activities (climbing, fishing, camping). People who are susceptible to tick bites include, but are not limited to outdoor construction workers, forestry workers, sanitation workers, farm owners, land surveyors, railway oilfield workers, circuit wiring workers, managers of parks or wildlife plants.
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What is the most effective prevention against American dog tick?

Reduce contact with wild plants. Don't shuttle through the grass. Reduce contact with weeds, bushes, and litter. In the wild, don't sit directly on the ground or a dead tree trunk, and don't lean on the big tree at will.
Wear suitable clothes. When camping outdoors, hunting or trimming flowers, wear long sleeves and trousers. Tie your clothes into the belt, and tuck the feet into stockings. Choose light-colored clothes so that you can find ticks falling on your body in time and shake off.
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Use DEET. Before entering the wild, spraying DEET-containing products on the surface of skin and clothing can prevent ticks and other insects from bites.
Use permethrin. While processing the surface of outdoor equipment, including boots, clothing, tents, etc., permethrin-containing products are more effective than DEET. Keep from directly contacting the skin.
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Change your clothes immediately. After returning home from the outdoors, you should check the clothes for ticks in time and clean them. It is advised to put the washed clothes into a dryer to dry at high temperature for 10 min. This tip can effectively kill ticks on the clothes.
Take a shower immediately after handling clothes. This can effectively reduce the risk of disease after being bitten by ticks. You can also check whether there are still ticks biting.
Check the body. Look in the mirror and check the whole body from the most susceptible bitten part. It is advised to start from the parts in the hair, behind the ears, under the armpits, the groin, under the ankles, and between the fingers.
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Watch out for pet malnutrition.
Bathe your pet often. Especially after the pet returns from the outdoors. It can effectively prevent the pet from being infected with various diseases and insect pests.
Regularly deworm pets in vivo and in vitro. It can prevent pets from being harmed by various parasites.
Check your pet carefully. Use your hand to comb through the pet's body. If you feel a strange hard object, pay special attention to it. Once identified as a tick, it needs to be removed in time. Then disinfect the wound.
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How to get rid of American dog tick?

Remove ticks in time. The longer the ticks stay attached, the more likely they are to spread the disease. However, you should pay attention not to grab it with your bare hands, but to hold the body with tweezers, the tip of the tweezers should be as close to the skin as possible, and then slowly and slowly pull out the tick to avoid twisting and squeezing the body. After removing the ticks, hands and wounds should be washed with soap and water, and the wounds should be scrubbed with alcohol or iodophor after the soapy water is air-dried. If the tick's head is broken in the wound after removing the tick, seek medical attention immediately.
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After being bitten, pay attention to physical changes and seek medical treatment in a timely manner. After being bitten by a tick, severe discomfort does not occur quickly, and it usually takes a few days before the discomfort occurs. Different ticks may transmit different diseases, so you can seal the removed ticks in a refrigerator and wait for observation. If a rash or high fever is present after being bitten by a tick, symptoms such as high fever should not be ignored, and you should immediately contact your doctor for treatment with the removed tick.
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If you cannot determine which tick bite, you should take the initiative to fast beef milk for several days or months. If you have severe headaches, dyspnea, physical paralysis, palpitations and other symptoms during the observation period after being bitten by a tick, please call the local emergency phone as soon as possible.
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Take care of the outdoor environment. Don't be lazy, clean up the leaves and weeds on the balcony and courtyard regularly, and trim the lawn grass regularly. Remove trash from the leaves. Laying slate on the lawn leading to the utility room, garage, and gate. Be sure to fence your yard with fences or hedges. Don't let wild animals such as hares enter it. Wild animals are more likely to carry ticks and other pathogens than pets.
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Taking care of pets everyday
  • Follow the advice of your pet doctor and regularly use internal and external insect repellents for pets.
  • You can also spray your pets with insect repellent sprays when you go out to do insect control.
  • Use a deworming soap or a deworming bath when bathing.
  • Wear collars with deworming medication on a daily basis.
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When ticks are found on pets
Apply ticks with alcohol. It will relax or even die. After a few minutes, use the pointed tweezers to quickly pull out the ticks vertically and confirm if there are any worms remaining in the wound. If so, take them to the pet hospital for further treatment.
Use in vitro insect repellent. Apply an external insect repellent near the skin bitten by the tick. When the tick absorbs the drug, it will die. The mouth will loosen and fall automatically. Then apply anti-inflammatory medicine to the wound to keep it clean and prevent decay and inflammation.
Harmful Effects of American dog tick
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Is the American dog tick Deadly?

American dog tick, as a disease vector, poses a lethal threat by transmitting Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Tularemia through its bite during feeding. Fatal if untreated, these diseases can severely impact the vulnerable, including children and the elderly. Emphasizing prevention and prompt treatment is crucial for reducing fatality risks associated with american dog tick's bite.

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Bite Humans

American dog tick, at all stages of its life cycle, can bite humans, primarily to feed on their blood. These bites can lead to direct consequences including localized irritation, and in some cases, transmission of pathogens causing diseases. The tick uses its specialized mouthparts to attach and may remain on the host for several days during feeding.

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Bite Animals

American dog tick is an organism that normally uses biting as a method to attach to its host and feed on their blood. This process may unknowingly transfer pathogens from the organism to the host, but the primary purpose is to obtain nutrients.

More Effects of American dog tick

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