Ticks

Tick prevention starts with checking people and pets, reducing sheltered habitat and removing attached ticks promptly. Coordinate animal care with a veterinarian; premise pesticides do not replace a pet-specific plan.

Know the suspect

Ticks are arachnids, not insects. Adults and nymphs have eight legs; size varies with stage and feeding. Brown dog ticks are uniformly brown and associated with dogs, kennels and homes, sometimes crawling up walls. Adult female lone star ticks have a single pale spot on the back; males have different markings. In DFW, inspect pet-resting sites and brushy outdoor routes. Pets and passing wildlife can introduce ticks, but a tick in a home does not prove every yard is infested. Texas A&M brown dog tick identification Texas A&M lone star tick identification

The wanted portrait is a stylized AI illustration, not an identification photograph. Compare the actual animal and its markings with an Extension identification guide.

What they can do

Ticks can transmit disease to people and animals, but the agent involved depends on the species and location. Lone star ticks are recognized vectors of ehrlichiosis; brown dog ticks can transmit canine ehrlichiosis. A bite or rash alone does not establish infection. Texas A&M guidance Texas A&M guidance

Start with control, not a spray

1. Check people, pets and clothing after time in brush or tall vegetation.
2. Use long clothing and avoid sitting in brushy tick habitat.
3. Keep grass and weeds short near pet-resting areas.
4. Inspect and clean pet bedding, kennels and sheltered resting sites.
5. Repair suitable gaps around doors, windows and utility penetrations.
6. Have a veterinarian select appropriate pet prevention and assess an infested animal.

For an attached tick, use tweezers close to the skin and pull steadily without twisting. Do not use a hot match, grease or improvised chemicals. Clean the site and tell a doctor about the bite if illness or an unusual rash follows. Extension tick-removal guidance

Chemicals you may encounter

Extension tick guidance lists bifenthrin and permethrin in premise-control examples. These are not recommendations for the whole lawn or for an animal. Its West Texas publication supports treatment distinctions, not a DFW prevalence claim. Pet and premise products are not interchangeable; let a veterinarian choose animal treatment and never assume a dog product is suitable for a cat. Extension premise and pet control distinctions

The label is the law. Use a product labeled for the actual pest and location, and follow its directions for placement, amounts, protective equipment and re-entry. Keep products and treated areas away from children and pets as the label directs. Never use an outdoor-only pesticide indoors or assume more product works better. EPA pesticide safety

Seasonal watch

Use North Texas spring warming and brush exposure as inspection prompts. Brown dog ticks may remain active in sheltered buildings beyond the outdoor season. Lone star life stages have different activity periods influenced by climate, so check after exposure rather than relying on one peak month. Texas A&M guidance Texas A&M guidance

When to get help

Recurring ticks indoors warrants coordinated help from a veterinarian and a qualified, licensed pest professional. Seek a doctor for an unusual rash or illness in the days or weeks after a bite and explain the exposure. Do not diagnose a tick-borne disease from appearance alone. Texas A&M guidance

This field guide is educational and does not offer treatment bookings.