The Brown Dog Tick
Rhipicephalus sanguineus · also called the kennel tick
The brown dog tick is unusual: it can complete its whole life cycle indoors, so it infests homes, kennels, and vehicles rather than fields. It feeds mostly on dogs but will bite people, and it can spread Rocky Mountain spotted fever and canine diseases.
- Carries Lyme
- No
- Unusual trait
- Breeds indoors
- Active
- Year-round indoors
- Feeds on
- Mainly dogs
- Where
- Homes, kennels, nationwide
Quick facts
Male vs. female
Both sexes are the same plain reddish-brown. The female's shield covers only the front third of her back, leaving room to swell into a gray engorged oval; the male's shield covers his whole body, so he stays flat and small. A heavy indoor infestation is almost always a mix of both plus eggs.
Diseases it can carry
Rocky Mountain spotted fever
In parts of the country the brown dog tick is a vector for RMSF (Rickettsia rickettsii), a serious bacterial infection. Northeast cases are rare, but early treatment with doxycycline matters when it does occur.
Canine diseases
It transmits canine ehrlichiosis and canine babesiosis to dogs. These affect pets rather than people, but they are a real reason to clear an infestation quickly.
It does not carry Lyme disease.
How to identify it
- Uniform reddish-brown with no ornate markings.
- A narrower body that tapers toward the head.
- If you keep finding the same tick indoors or on a kenneled dog, this is the usual suspect.
When and where
Active year-round wherever it gets indoors, since it does not wait on the outdoor seasons. Found across the country, it becomes a real problem in warm buildings and neglected kennels.
Range in the Northeast
Unlike the other ticks here, the brown dog tick can turn a house into its habitat, so it is found wherever dogs and warm buildings are, throughout the Northeast and the country. Treating the dog alone rarely clears it; the environment has to be handled too, usually with a vet and a pest-control professional.
Frequently asked questions
- Can brown dog ticks infest my house?
- Yes. The brown dog tick is the one common tick that can complete its whole life cycle indoors, so it can build up in homes, kennels, and vehicles. Heavy infestations include adults, young ticks, and eggs hidden in cracks, baseboards, and pet bedding.
- Do brown dog ticks bite people?
- They feed mostly on dogs but will bite people, especially in a heavy indoor infestation. In some regions they can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever, so bites should not be ignored.
- How do I get rid of brown dog ticks indoors?
- Treat the dog and the environment together. Work with your veterinarian on the pet and a pest-control professional on the home; cleaning or treating the dog alone rarely clears an established infestation.
- Does the brown dog tick carry Lyme disease?
- No. The brown dog tick does not spread Lyme disease. Lyme is carried by the deer tick. The brown dog tick's main concerns are canine diseases and, in some areas, Rocky Mountain spotted fever.