What does a tick look like attached to a dog? - briefly
A tick attached to a dog appears as a small, dark brown or black speck that gradually swells and becomes visible as it feeds on blood. After several days of attachment, the engorged tick can resemble a grayish-blue bean or grape, easily noticeable on the skin.
What does a tick look like attached to a dog? - in detail
A tick attached to a dog appears as a small, dark-colored oval or teardrop-shaped object. When first attached, it may be quite small, often resembling a tiny speck of dirt. As the tick feeds on the dog's blood, it can grow significantly in size, sometimes becoming noticeably larger and more prominent. The color of an engorged tick typically ranges from grayish-blue to reddish-brown, depending on how much blood it has consumed. The body of a tick is segmented into two main parts: the head (or cephalothorax) and the abdomen. The head contains the mouthparts that are inserted into the dog's skin for feeding, while the abdomen expands as the tick consumes blood. If left undisturbed, a tick can remain attached to a dog for several days, continuing to feed until it reaches its maximum size and then drops off on its own. It is crucial to remove ticks promptly using tweezers or a specialized tick removal tool to minimize the risk of disease transmission.