Checking Your Dog or Cat for Ticks with Your Phone

TickSpot Guide · Updated October 2026

In short: On dogs and cats, ticks mostly sit where the fur is thin and the skin soft — head, ears, neck, armpits, belly and inner legs. A quick check after every walk catches most of them before they attach: part the fur, hold the camera over it, spot by spot.

The hotspots on dogs and cats

Head and muzzle — especially around the eyes and lips
Ears — outside, at the base and inside
Neck and chest — check under the collar
Armpits and groin — warm, sheltered, thinly haired
Belly and between the toes

Why right after the walk: according to the Robert Koch Institute, most ticks wait less than a metre above the ground, often only 10 to 50 centimetres, and are brushed off onto whoever passes. That is exactly the height at which a dog runs through the grass.

The fur check on a dog

A fixed routine: straight after the walk, get your dog to sit or lie down. Many dogs quickly take it as a cuddle.
Feel first: stroke against the lie of the fur with light pressure. Small bumps that feel like a crumb are candidates.
Then part and look: part the fur with one hand to expose a strip of skin, and hold the TickSpot camera 10 to 15 centimetres above it with the other. Work strip by strip.
Light on for dark or dense fur — the app's light improves the contrast.
Freeze instead of holding still: suspicious spot? Freeze the frame, zoom in and check at leisure while your dog is free to move.

Why the camera finds more than your fingers: by touch, ticks often only stand out once they are attached and swollen. Flat ticks still roaming the fur are hard to feel — in the inverted view they stand out as a bright dot against skin and fur, and you remove them before they bite.

With cats: short sessions instead of a full inspection

Cats have little patience for long checks. Short sessions of 20 to 30 seconds work better, whenever your cat comes for a cuddle anyway: while stroking, gently push the fur against its lie and hold the camera over it — to the cat it feels like being scratched. If it gets restless, freeze the frame and keep checking on the still; next cuddle, carry on where you left off.

The head, forehead, ears, chin and neck are most worth a look: cats can't reach them with their tongue while grooming. Belly and armpits only if your cat enjoys a belly rub.

Found a tick?

Remove it with a tick hook, tick card or fine-tipped tweezers: grip close to the skin, pull out slowly and steadily, don't squeeze and don't put anything on it — the method is in "How to remove a tick properly". Keep an eye on the bite afterwards; which signs need the vet straight away is in "Tick bite on a dog — when to see the vet?", and which diseases ticks can transmit in "Can Ticks Transmit Diseases to Dogs and Cats?"

Important for cat owners: never use dog tick treatments on cats. Some contain permethrin, which is toxic to cats because they cannot break it down; according to the small-animal clinic at the University of Giessen, poisonings usually happen exactly this way. Use preventives only on veterinary advice.

Arguing at home more about the vet appointment than about the tick? Then "When a tick bite turns into an argument" may help.

After your next walk: TickSpot runs free in your phone's browser — with light and zoom, and all images stay on your device.

Start the fur check

Frequently asked questions

How often should I check my dog for ticks?

After every walk through meadow, woods or tall grass. According to the RKI, most ticks wait less than a metre above the ground, often only 10 to 50 centimetres — exactly the height at which a dog runs through the grass.

Can I use a dog tick treatment on my cat?

No. Some dog products contain permethrin, which is toxic to cats because they cannot break it down. According to the small-animal clinic at the University of Giessen, poisonings usually happen exactly this way: dog products used on cats. Use any preventive only on veterinary advice.

How do I get a tick out of my dog's fur?

Part the fur until you can see where the tick enters the skin, then grip it close to the skin with a tick hook, tick card or fine-tipped tweezers and pull slowly and steadily. Don't squeeze, and don't put anything on it first.

When does my dog need the vet after a tick bite?

If the bite becomes inflamed, a remnant won't come out, or in the days and weeks afterwards your dog shows fever, lethargy or reddish urine. The details are in "Tick bite on a dog — when to see the vet?".

Sources

Robert Koch Institute: Tick FAQ (how high ticks wait, being brushed off in passing — in German)
University of Giessen, small-animal clinic: Permethrin poisoning in cats and dogs (in German)
ESCCAP Germany: Vector-borne diseases in dogs and cats (in German)

Note: This article does not replace veterinary advice. For ticks that cannot be removed, inflammation, or changes in your pet’s behaviour, seek veterinary advice.