During colder weather ticks are less active. On days when it is less than 4 degrees celsius ticks will be quite dormant under leaf litter, snow cover or in shaded areas. On any warm days, particularly the type of warm days we have had recently tick activity increases and they are actively seeking a host which can include our pets or us. When pets play amongst foliage or in leaf litter than can pick up adult ticks or nymphs ( pictured ) which are a much smaller stage in the reproductive cycle.
Both adult ticks and these much smaller nymphs ( 2-3 mm in length) can carry Lyme disease and can transmit it to their host. When pets are up to date on a tick preventative (such as Bravecto) adult ticks or nymphs are killed as soon as they bite their host. This does not allow the tick to transmit Lyme disease to your pet nor for your dog to be a source of a tick for you. The pictured nymph crawled onto one of my staff members while we were examining a canine patient for an altogether unrelated problem.
