What does a tick look like when attached to a dog? - briefly
When a tick attaches to a dog, it appears as a small, dark spot on the skin. As it feeds on blood, its body expands significantly in size, turning into a visible, swollen mass.
What does a tick look like when attached to a dog? - in detail
A tick attached to a dog appears as a small, dark spot that is typically oval or tear-shaped in outline. When viewed up close, it has a distinct segmented body composed of two primary parts: the head (capitulum) and the abdomen. The head region is where the tick's mouthparts are located—these include the hypostome, which resembles a tiny spear and is used to embed into the dog's skin for feeding. The abdomen expands significantly as the tick feeds, growing from a small, flattened shape to a much larger, rounded form that can become engorged with blood. The color of an attached tick varies depending on its species and stage of life, ranging from light brown to dark reddish-brown or black. Additionally, a fully engorged tick may exhibit a grayish hue due to the expansion of its abdomen filled with blood. It is important to note that ticks can be very small, especially in their nymph and larval stages, making them difficult to detect without close inspection.