Contrary to popular belief, ticks are not insects. They are actually arachnids, a group that includes spiders, scorpions, and mites. These blood-feeding creatures can carry many infectious diseases including Lyme disease, and transmit them directly to humans and animals through their bite. Ticks are usually divided into two classifications: hard ticks, which are found out in the open, and soft ticks that live in nests and burrows.

Hard ticks are more prevalent in the United States and cause greater damage to pets and humans than soft ticks. The most common hard ticks in the United States are the Lone Star Tick, the American Dog Tick, the Rocky Mountain Wood Tick, the Brown Dog Tick, and the Deer Tick. The hard tick goes through 4 life cycle stages: Adult, Egg, Larvae, and Nymph. Ticks usually require multiple hosts over a long period of time to complete their life cycle.

Tick populations usually surge in the early spring, well ahead of the peak flea season, which usually occurs in the late summer. Keeping your lawn well mowed and avoiding wooded or tall grassy areas may reduce you and your pet's chances for picking up ticks. A solitary tick can usually be safely removed with tweezers by grasping it carefully at the head (which is attached to the surface of the skin) and applying slow and steady traction. Try not to squeeze the body of the tick or handle the tick with your bare hands. As always, consult with your veterinarian on tick prevention and removal recommendations.