Both skin tags and ticks manifest as odd bumps or lumps on your dog’s skin – here’s how to tell the difference.
First of all, it’s extremely helpful for you to be familiar with your dog and his or her behavior, as well as regularly monitoring their skin. A new odd lump or bump is easily and quickly detected this way.
An important thing to remember is that skin tags usually end up being the color of your dog’s skin, whereas a tick is often reddish or brownish in color. This makes it really easy for you if your dog has pinkish skin and light hair, but if your dog has darker skin or hair you may need to take a closer look. A magnifying glass is supremely helpful!
If the bump you’re investigating under magnification has tiny legs, or it swells, chances are likely that you have a tick on your hands; skin tags (besides being legless) tend to lie flatter on the skin. If you’re still not sure if a flat-ish bump is a tick or not, keep an eye on it; if it grows, it’s a tick, and it’s likely also a tick if you found it behind the ears or in between toes. Talk to your veterinarian on your next steps, and check out our sister article on tick do’s and don’t’s!
Thanks to:
Wag Walking
Wide Open Pets
Photo by Simon Moog on Unsplash