No matter where you are in the world, your dog could get tics anywhere.
Tics can be picked up in long grasses, green areas, rural areas and even in your own back garden.
Ticks are parasites that can pierce your dog's skin with their killer mouths and glue themselves into the body and prevent easy removal.
Tics in the UK are usually hard tics and they have a hard outer shell to protect their body.
Tics are parasites that won't stay on your dog's body for ever.
They will usually stay on your dog's body for three to ten days feeding on your dog.
All stages of the tic life cycle happen on your dog (a host) apart from the eggs, and they feed until they fall off into a new environment onto the next stage of the tic life cycle.
The life cycle of a tic can take up to three years to complete.
A tick is not just a passing irritation; it can cause many problems to your dog.
The least that can happen to your dog is skin irritation as the tic is implanting itself into your dog's body.
That is the least of your dog's problems.
Tics can also carry horrible diseases that your dog is well likely to catch.
In the UK, your dog could catch lyme disease- this is caused by the most common tic in the UK and in dogs it can cause a fever, arthritis and may cause skin disease and irritation.
Another disease that your dog can catch in the UK is called anaplasmosis, - this is a disease that is caused by a not so common tic however, even though it is rarely diagnosed, it can still cause depression, fever, reluctance to move and general laziness.
The diseases that your dog could catch across Europe are: ehrlichiosis - a disease that is mainly caught in the Mediterranean, south France, Corsica, Greece and Italy.
This can cause fever, loss of appetite and blood clot.
Another disease is called bebesiosis- this disease can be caught all across Europe and can cause infection of the red blood cells in your dog's body, weakness and high temperature.
It is important to check for ticks regularly on your dog and even more if they are travelling abroad or are travelling back from abroad.
You must check every single part of your pet carefully and check especially the head, the ears, the legs and the paws.
Also check for: fever, lameness, loss of appetite, onsets and offsets of pain, swelling, arthritis, depression and bad coughs in the dog.
If any of these signs ring a bell contact a vet as soon as possible and get treatment or get checked out thoroughly.
It is very important that you treat your dog regularly checking it out and using any specific products that will kill the tics and that your vet has given to you and wash your dog with special shampoos that will take control of the tics and may kill them.
Remember, tics are tiny, you can't see them at all but you will always know if your dog has got them if you check it regularly and give it treatment.