Ticks on dogs in India: tick fever, removal and prevention
Updated By PetymFacts checked against official sources on
Quick answer
Ticks on Indian dogs are mostly the brown dog tick, which breeds inside homes and kennels as well as outdoors. It spreads tick fever: ehrlichiosis and babesiosis, and probably anaplasmosis. Use a vet-recommended tick product all year, check your dog daily, and call your vet if it turns dull, feverish, pale or starts bleeding.
Tick fever is not one disease, and the signs overlap, so your vet confirms it with blood tests before treating. Signs of ehrlichiosis appear 1 to 3 weeks after infection and babesiosis usually within 1 to 4 weeks, so keep watching after a walk in a new area, a groomer visit or a stay away. Pale gums, collapse, dark urine or bleeding need a vet the same day.
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Which infections do ticks give dogs in India?
| What | The rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Ehrlichiosis | Ehrlichia canis, carried by the brown dog tick. Signs 1 to 3 weeks after infection: fever, bleeding (nosebleeds, bruising, black stools), enlarged spleen and lymph nodes; some dogs go on to a chronic form. | Merck Veterinary Manual |
| Babesiosis | Babesia vogeli (brown dog tick) and B. gibsoni (also spread by fights and blood transfusions). Anaemia with pale gums, weakness, jaundice, red or brown urine. Signs usually start 1 to 4 weeks after infection (one tropical guideline says up to 6 weeks); dogs that recover can stay infected for life and may fall ill again later, for example when their immune system is weakened. | Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites |
| Anaplasmosis | Anaplasma platys and A. phagocytophilum. Often no signs; when ill, fever, bleeding spots or bruises, enlarged lymph nodes, lameness. | Merck Veterinary Manual |
| Hepatozoonosis | Hepatozoon canis, caught by swallowing an infected tick, not from the bite. Indian dogs usually show mild or no signs; anaemia, lethargy, fever and weight loss when ill. | Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites |
How do you remove a tick from a dog?
Use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick tool
Grip the tick close to the skin, never with bare hands. Wear gloves if you have them.
Pull straight up, gently
Use steady, even pressure. Do not twist it, squeeze its body or crush it.
Skip the folk remedies
Nail polish, petroleum jelly and hot matches can make the tick inject more saliva.
Kill the tick
Kill it before you throw it away, for example by freezing it for a day in a sealed bag, so it cannot crawl off and lay eggs in the house.
Clean up and watch the spot
Clean the bite and your hands. See a vet if the bite turns red or swells, if your dog has many ticks, or if it seems unwell in the weeks after.
Why do Indian dogs pick up so many ticks?
Because the main tick on Indian dogs, the brown dog tick, does not need a forest or a field. It can live its whole life in a flat.
The brown dog tick is the most common tick on dogs in the tropics, and it lives in houses and kennels as well as outdoors. Dogs are its main host. A tick feeds once at each stage of its life, as a larva, a nymph and an adult, and drops off the dog between stages to digest its meal and moult. A fully fed female drops off and lays about 4,000 eggs on average, in cracks and crevices in homes, garages and dog runs, then dies.
The cycle from egg to egg-laying female takes just over two months in warm conditions, and each stage can survive 3 to 5 months without feeding. In the tropics the brown dog tick can complete more than one generation a year, which is why tropical guidelines say tick control should run all year rather than by season. An Indian summer does not stop it, and nor does a winter indoors.
Infestations usually start when a dog brings a few ticks home from a place where many dogs gather: a kennel, a groomer, a vet clinic, a park or the lane where community dogs rest. Owners then see ticks on furniture, skirting, bedding and curtains, or climbing walls, because hungry ticks move towards dogs. Ticks are hard to see while they digest, moult or lay eggs, so a problem can seem to vanish and then come back weeks later.
- Indoor dogs get ticks too: tropical guidelines note they meet them at parks and groomers.
- A city flat can hold a breeding population once ticks are inside.
- Ticks were present all year in Indian studies, with more on dogs in the monsoon in several of them.
How do you check a dog for ticks?
A daily two-minute check, done by touch as much as by sight, finds most ticks before they have fed for long.
- Run your fingers slowly against the coat over the whole body, feeling for small bumps you cannot see under the fur. Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites
- Look inside and behind the ears, and around the eyes: the brown dog tick favours the head and ears. University of Florida IFAS Extension
- Check between the toes and pads, in the armpits and in the groin. Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites
- Check the neck under the collar, the back and the base of the tail; some ticks feed mainly on the head, neck, shoulders and around the tail and anus. Merck Veterinary Manual
- Check the dog's bedding, the sofa and the wall near where it sleeps, where ticks wait between feeds. University of Florida IFAS Extension
- Check again after every visit to a groomer, kennel, vet clinic or park where many dogs gather. University of Florida IFAS Extension
- Look at bite sites over the next few days: a bite that turns red or swells needs a vet. Merck Veterinary Manual
- Note how many ticks you find. Even a few ticks are a reason to ask your vet about tick-borne disease. Merck Veterinary Manual
Which signs of tick fever mean you should call the vet?
Call your vet whenever a dog that has had ticks seems unwell. Some signs mean go to a 24-hour vet now.
If Quiet, off its food and warm to the touch, a week or two after ticks
Call your vet today and say the dog had ticks. Fever, lethargy and poor appetite are often the first signs of tick fever, and a blood test tells which infection it is. Merck Veterinary Manual
If Nosebleeds, tiny red spots on the gums or belly, bruises, or black, tarry stools
See a vet the same day. These are bleeding signs, common in ehrlichiosis when platelets fall. Merck Veterinary Manual
If Pale or yellow gums, weakness, red or brown urine
See a vet urgently. These point to the red blood cells being destroyed, as in babesiosis. Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites
If Sudden collapse, very pale gums, a racing heart, a weak pulse, or a seizure
Go to the nearest 24-hour vet now and call ahead on the way. Babesiosis can cause sudden shock, and young puppies are most at risk. Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites
If Lameness, swollen lymph nodes or a fever that comes and goes
Book a vet visit. Anaplasmosis can show this way, and some dogs carry tick infections quietly. Merck Veterinary Manual
If A dog that recovered from babesiosis before is unwell again
Call your vet. Most dogs that survive babesiosis stay carriers, and it can flare up during stress or illness. Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites
What do the words on a tick fever report mean?
Vets in India test before they treat, because the signs overlap and a dog can carry more than one infection. These are the words you are likely to see.
- Tick fever
- An everyday Indian name, not a diagnosis. It usually means ehrlichiosis, babesiosis or anaplasmosis, which often occur together. Parasites & Vectors (2011)study
- Low platelets (thrombocytopenia)
- Too few of the cells that help blood clot. Common in ehrlichiosis, and the reason for nosebleeds and bruising. Merck Veterinary Manual
- Anaemia
- Too few red blood cells, seen as pale gums and weakness. Babesia parasites destroy red cells; ehrlichiosis can cause a mild anaemia too. Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites
- Blood smear
- A drop of blood looked at under a microscope for parasites. Quick and cheap, but it misses many cases of ehrlichiosis. Merck Veterinary Manual
- Antibody test
- Shows the dog's immune response to an infection, including in-clinic test kits. It can be negative early in an infection. Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites
- PCR
- A test that finds the organism's genetic material and can name the species, sometimes earlier than antibody tests. Merck Veterinary Manual
- Co-infection
- More than one tick-borne infection at once. In an Indian survey, 39% of the infected dogs carried more than one. Parasites & Vectors (2011)study
- Carrier
- A dog that stays infected after recovering and can relapse later, common after babesiosis. Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites
What will the vet do if they suspect tick fever?
Expect questions, an examination and blood tests, then a treatment plan that depends on which infection is found.
Tell the vet when you last saw ticks, which tick product the dog is on and when it was last given, and whether the dog has been boarded, groomed or has travelled recently. The vet will check the gums, lymph nodes, spleen and temperature, and usually runs a blood count first. Because blood changes such as low platelets are common to many vector-borne diseases, Merck notes that more tests are needed to tell them apart, and TroCCAP advises that a dog tested for Babesia should be checked for Ehrlichia too.
Treatment varies by infection, so this guide does not name medicines. Only your vet can prescribe and dose them. Merck says most dogs with acute ehrlichiosis clear the infection, while blood changes can take 3 to 6 months to settle after treatment, so follow-up tests are common. Babesia gibsoni is harder to clear than B. vogeli, and dogs that recover from babesiosis usually remain carriers.
Merck also notes that the rare chronic form of ehrlichiosis, which affects the bone marrow, appears to occur more often in German Shepherds. If your dog is one, mention any past tick fever to every new vet.
How common are ticks and tick fever across India?
Indian studies show tick-borne infections across the country, but most tested stray, shelter or clinic dogs, so their figures do not describe pet dogs.
| What the study found | What it means for a pet owner | |
|---|---|---|
| Mumbai, Delhi, Sikkim and Ladakh (525 stray and shelter dogs) Parasites & Vectors (2011)study | About half carried at least one tick-borne infection; Ehrlichia canis in 20.6%, Anaplasma platys in 6.5%, Babesia vogeli in 5.5%; ticks on 53% of dogs | Infection is widespread in dogs that live outdoors, including the ones your dog meets on walks |
| Chennai, Bhubaneswar and Agartala Journal of Veterinary Parasitology (2016), Madras Veterinary Collegestudy | Ticks on dogs were found most often in the monsoon months, though present all year | Do not pause tick control after summer; the rains can bring more ticks |
| Andhra Pradesh Veterinary Research Forum (2023)study | Young, mixed-breed, rural and kennelled dogs and dogs carrying ticks were at higher risk; fewer infections were found in the rainy season | Indie dogs and puppies are not protected by being local |
| North-eastern India Biological Rhythm Research (2020)study | More infections were found in the rainy season | Studies disagree on the peak season, so prevention has to run all year |
| Kerala Veterinary World (2017), KVASUstudy | Small Babesia species were highly prevalent in the dogs studied | B. gibsoni, a small Babesia, is the harder form to treat; tell your vet if your dog has fought with another dog |
| Odisha Pathogens (2024), OUAT Bhubaneswarstudy | Ehrlichia canis confirmed by molecular testing in dogs in eastern India | Ehrlichiosis is present well beyond the big metros |
| Punjab and northwest India BioMed Research International (2014), GADVASUstudy | Canine babesiosis detected by molecular testing in dogs, with risk factors studied | The dry, hot northwest has tick fever too, not only the humid south and east |
A literature review found babesiosis and ehrlichiosis endemic throughout India. No national figure for pet dogs exists.
What keeps ticks off your dog and out of your home?
Prevention works best on the dog and in the house together. Your vet chooses the product; you keep it on schedule.
Do
- Use a tick product licensed for your dog, exactly as the label says, and ask your vet which one suits; mention any other pets at home. Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites
- Keep prevention going all year, in winter and on indoor dogs too. Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites
- Wash dog beds and blankets in hot water and dry them on high heat, and steam furniture you cannot wash. University of Florida IFAS Extension
- Seal cracks and gaps at floor level, and keep grass and weeds short around the house. University of Florida IFAS Extension
- In a heavy infestation, treat the home or kennel as well as the dog; professional pest control often needs repeat visits. University of Florida IFAS Extension
- Keep your dog away from known tick-prone areas where you can; Merck calls this the most effective step. Merck Veterinary Manual
Don’t
- Do not use a dog's tick product on a cat without your vet's advice: some ingredients used for dogs are toxic to cats. Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites
- Do not pull ticks off with bare hands or burn them off with a match. Merck Veterinary Manual
- Do not crush a tick on the floor: a fed female can carry thousands of eggs. University of Florida IFAS Extension
- Do not stop prevention because you have not seen a tick for weeks; hidden stages can survive months without feeding. University of Florida IFAS Extension
- Do not treat a sick dog for tick fever at home on a guess. The infections need different medicines, chosen after tests. Merck Veterinary Manual
What do owners get wrong about ticks and tick fever?
You may have read
My dog lives in a flat, so it cannot get ticks.
Myth
What the sources say
The brown dog tick lives indoors, in houses and kennels, and tropical guidelines say indoor dogs pick up ticks at parks and groomers. Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites
You may have read
Ticks are only a monsoon problem.
Myth
What the sources say
Indian studies found ticks on dogs all year, most often in the monsoon months, and the brown dog tick can breed more than once a year in the tropics. Journal of Veterinary Parasitology (2016), Madras Veterinary Collegestudy
You may have read
Indie dogs are immune to tick fever.
Myth
What the sources say
In Andhra Pradesh mixed-breed dogs were among those at higher risk, along with young, rural and kennelled dogs. Veterinary Research Forum (2023)study
You may have read
Once a dog has recovered from tick fever, it is done.
Myth
What the sources say
Most dogs that survive babesiosis stay carriers for life and can relapse, especially during stress or illness. Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites
You may have read
Tick fever spreads from my dog to my family.
Myth
What the sources say
Dogs do not pass ehrlichiosis directly to people, because a tick is needed, and TroCCAP says Babesia in dogs is not zoonotic. A sick dog does show that infected ticks are around, so protect yourself from ticks too. Merck Veterinary Manual
You may have read
A negative blood smear means it is not tick fever.
Myth
What the sources say
Smears are insensitive for ehrlichiosis, and antibody tests can be negative early in babesiosis, so vets often use more than one test. Merck Veterinary Manual
What should you watch for after boarding, a trip or a groomer visit?
Ticks can be picked up anywhere dogs gather, and tick fever shows up weeks later, not the next day.
Before you go
Make sure tick prevention is current and note the product and date for the carer. Check your dog for ticks: one tick-carrying guest can affect other dogs. Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites
The day you get back
Do a full tick check, wash the dog's bedding and look at any bite sites. University of Florida IFAS Extension
Week 1
Watch the bite sites for redness or swelling, and see a vet if one appears. Merck Veterinary Manual
Weeks 1 to 3
The window in which ehrlichiosis usually shows: fever, low energy, poor appetite, bleeding signs. Merck Veterinary Manual
Weeks 1 to 4, sometimes up to 6
The usual window for babesiosis: pale gums, weakness, jaundice, dark urine. Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites
Weeks to months later
Ticks hidden in the house can reappear, so keep checking the dog and its sleeping area. University of Florida IFAS Extension
Are ticks a risk to cats and to people?
Brown dog ticks occasionally feed on cats and on people, though dogs are their main host. Cats need products licensed for cats only, because some ingredients in dog tick products are toxic to them, and in a home with both a dog and a cat, ask your vet before using a dog spot-on, since a cat can be exposed by grooming or lying against a treated dog.
Dogs do not pass ehrlichiosis directly to people, because a tick is needed, but some Ehrlichia species can infect people through tick bites, and a dog with tick fever is a sign that infected ticks are around. Wear gloves or use a tool to remove ticks, wash your hands afterwards, and see your own doctor if you fall ill after a tick bite.
How does a Petym sitter handle ticks?
When Petym opens in a city, a sitter will follow your dog's plan as you write it, including the tick product and the date it is due, and log each walk and meal as it happens. Write the product name and the last date given on the care sheet, and say whether you want the sitter to remove ticks or simply to note them. You will get a photo update every day of the booking, so ask the sitter to mention any tick found and where.
Every Petym sitter completes pet first-aid training before the first booking and has a named 24-hour vet within reach. If your dog becomes dull, stops eating, bleeds or collapses, the sitter will call you and take the dog to the nearest 24-hour vet on the city's list, telling the vet about any ticks. A free meet and greet before the first booking is the time to show the sitter where the tick tweezers and the dog's records are kept.
Going away soon? Tell us your dates.
A checked local sitter feeds, walks and keeps your pet company at home, follows your care sheet to the letter and sends a photo every day. Petym is opening city by city: send your dates and we will tell you when a sitter can take them.
- Meet your sitter first, free
- PAN-checked, first-aid trained
- A photo every day
- Pay through Petym, never cash
Questions owners ask
How do I know if my dog has tick fever?
- Look for fever, low energy and poor appetite in the weeks after ticks, then pale or yellow gums, nosebleeds, red spots on the gums, black stools or dark urine. These signs overlap with other illnesses, so only a blood test confirms tick fever and tells which infection it is. Call your vet and say the dog had ticks.
How soon after a tick bite do symptoms of tick fever appear?
- Ehrlichiosis usually shows 1 to 3 weeks after infection, and babesiosis usually within 1 to 4 weeks, sometimes up to 6 weeks according to one tropical guideline. Keep watching for at least six weeks after a heavy tick load, a stay away or a groomer visit, and call your vet at the first sign of illness.
Is tick fever an emergency?
- It can be. A dog that is quiet and off its food needs a vet visit that day. Collapse, very pale gums, a racing heart, a seizure or heavy bleeding mean go to the nearest 24-hour vet now, because babesiosis can cause sudden shock and severe anaemia, especially in young puppies.
Can a dog get tick fever more than once?
- Yes. A dog can be infected again by new tick bites, and dogs that survive babesiosis usually stay carriers for life and can relapse during stress or illness. Keep tick prevention going after recovery, and tell any new vet or carer that your dog has had tick fever before.
How often should I check my dog for ticks in India?
- Daily is a good habit, and always after a walk in a new area, a groomer, kennel or vet visit, or time with other dogs. Check inside the ears, around the eyes, between the toes, in the armpits and groin, under the collar and at the base of the tail, and check the dog's bedding.
Why do ticks keep coming back in my house?
- The brown dog tick breeds indoors. A fed female drops off and lays thousands of eggs in cracks, and each stage can survive months without feeding, so ticks reappear weeks later. Keep the dog on year-round prevention, wash bedding hot, seal gaps, and ask a pest control service about repeat treatment for a heavy infestation.
Should I shave my dog to stop ticks?
- None of the veterinary sources on this page recommends shaving to prevent ticks. A short coat may make ticks easier to see, but it does not keep them off. A vet-recommended tick product used all year, daily checks and a clean sleeping area are what the guidelines advise.
Do I need to tell my pet sitter about tick fever?
- Yes. Write the tick product and the date it is due on the care sheet, note any past tick fever, and give the sitter your vet's number. A sitter who knows the history will watch for relapse signs such as pale gums or low energy and can tell the vet straight away.
Keep reading
- Monsoon care for dogsLeptospirosis, wet paws and ticks in the rains.
- Signs your pet needs a vet now
- Vaccines before boarding
- What to pack for your pet's stay
- Pet first aid basics
- 24-hour vets in Bengaluru
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Sources
Each source was opened and read on the date shown. How Petym checks its sources
- Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites: Guidelines for the control of ectoparasites of dogs and cats in the tropics (2022) (opens in a new tab)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Ixodid ticks (opens in a new tab)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Tick control (opens in a new tab)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Babesiosis in animals (opens in a new tab)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Blood parasites of dogs (opens in a new tab)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Tick removal (opens in a new tab)
Show all 36 sourcesShow fewer
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Ticks of dogs (opens in a new tab)
- Companion Animal Parasite Council: Ehrlichia and Anaplasma (dog) (opens in a new tab)
- Companion Animal Parasite Council: Babesia (dog) (opens in a new tab)
- Companion Animal Parasite Council: Ticks (opens in a new tab)
- European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP): GL5: control of vector-borne diseases in dogs and cats (5th edition, 2024) (opens in a new tab)
- European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP): GL3: control of ectoparasites in dogs and cats (7th edition, 2022) (opens in a new tab)
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: What to do after a tick bite (opens in a new tab)
- International Cat Care: Ticks and tick removal (opens in a new tab)
- International Cat Care: Fleas and flea control in cats (opens in a new tab)
- University of Florida IFAS Extension: Brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus (opens in a new tab)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Ehrlichiosis in dogs (opens in a new tab)
- Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites: Canine guidelines: Babesia (opens in a new tab)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Anaplasmosis in dogs (opens in a new tab)
- Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites: Canine guidelines: Hepatozoon (opens in a new tab)
- Parasites & Vectors (2010): Canine vector-borne diseases in India: a review of the literature (opens in a new tab)
- Parasites & Vectors (2011): A survey of canine tick-borne diseases in India (opens in a new tab)
- Veterinary Research Forum (2023): Co-infections of major tick-borne pathogens of dogs in Andhra Pradesh, South India (opens in a new tab)
- Parasites & Vectors (2010): Biology and ecology of the brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus (opens in a new tab)
- Animals (2022): Canine babesiosis caused by Babesia gibsoni: etiology, pathogenesis and diagnostics (opens in a new tab)
- Indian Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Research (2026), TANUVAS: Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis: pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment and outcomes (review) (opens in a new tab)
- Pathogens (2024), OUAT Bhubaneswar: Ehrlichia canis in Eastern India: molecular confirmation, epidemiology and pathophysiology (opens in a new tab)
- BioMed Research International (2014), GADVASU: Canine babesiosis in northwestern India: molecular detection and risk factors (opens in a new tab)
- Journal of Veterinary Parasitology (2016), Madras Veterinary College: Prevalence of Rhipicephalus sanguineus on dogs in Chennai (opens in a new tab)
- Veterinary World (2013): Prevalence of tick infestation in dogs in and around Bhubaneswar (abstract read) (opens in a new tab)
- Indian Journal of Animal Sciences (2024): Prevalence and molecular characterization of ticks infesting dogs in Agartala, Tripura (abstract read) (opens in a new tab)
- Biological Rhythm Research (2020): Prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in domestic dogs in North-Eastern India (abstract read) (opens in a new tab)
- Veterinary World (2017), KVASU: High prevalence of small Babesia species in dogs of Kerala (abstract read) (opens in a new tab)
- Parasitology International (2026): Molecular epidemiology of tick-borne infections of cattle and dogs in India (abstract read) (opens in a new tab)
- Journal of Parasitic Diseases (2024): A review of hepatozoonosis caused by Hepatozoon canis in dogs (opens in a new tab)
- Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports (2025): Canine anaplasmoses in South and Southeast Asia: a systematic review (abstract read) (opens in a new tab)