Ticks and Your Pet
Ticks are small biting arachnids that feed on the blood of mammals and birds. They can attach to people, pets, and wildlife, and some species can transmit serious diseases including Lyme disease. As tick populations expand across southern Ontario, Brampton residents and their pets are increasingly likely to encounter them in parks, trails, ravines, gardens, and naturalized areas. This page explains what Brampton pet owners need to know about ticks, how to prevent bites, and what to do if you find a tick on your pet.
About ticks
Ticks are not insects — they are arachnids, more closely related to spiders and mites. They cannot fly or jump. Instead, they wait on vegetation with their front legs outstretched and grab onto a host that brushes past them, a behaviour called "questing." Once on a host, a tick attaches to the skin and feeds slowly, often for several days, growing many times its original size.
Tick activity is driven by temperature, not the calendar. Adult ticks can become active any day the temperature rises above about 4 degrees celsius, including during mild stretches in late fall, winter, and early spring. Tick numbers are typically highest in spring and fall, but pet owners should be prepared for tick exposure year-round.
Ticks are most often found in:
- Wooded areas, ravines, and forested trails
- Tall grass, brush, and shrubby edges
- Leaf litter and ground cover
- City parks, gardens, and naturalized parkland - including areas inside Brampton
Ticks in Brampton and Peel Region
Several tick species are present in Peel Region, but only the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis, sometimes called the deer tick) is capable of transmitting Lyme disease to people and animals in Ontario.
Based on data reported through Peel Public Health and the eTick identification platform:
- The American dog tick is the most common tick species reported from Brampton and Mississauga. This species does not transmit Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, or Powassan virus.
- The blacklegged tick is the most common species reported from Caledon, and established blacklegged tick populations have now been confirmed in southern parts of Peel Region, including southern Brampton and Mississauga.
- Climate change and migrating wildlife continue to expand the range of blacklegged ticks in southern Ontario. Brampton residents should assume the risk is present, even though local Lyme disease case rates remain lower than the provincial average.
Surveillance of ticks and tick-borne illness in Brampton is the responsibility of Peel Public Health and Public Health Ontario. Brampton Animal Services does not test or collect ticks, but we work to support residents with public education and animal health information.
Tick-borne diseases that can affect pets
Not every tick carries disease, and not every bite from an infected tick results in illness. However, several tick-borne diseases are now of concern for dogs (and, less commonly, cats) in Ontario:
- Lyme disease - caused by Borrelia bacteria, transmitted by infected blacklegged ticks. Signs in dogs may include lameness or shifting limb stiffness, fever, lethargy, reduced appetite, and swollen joints or lymph nodes. Untreated Lyme disease can lead to chronic joint and kidney problems.
- Anaplasmosis - transmitted by blacklegged ticks. Signs may include fever, lethargy, joint pain, loss of appetite, vomiting, or diarrhea.
- Ehrlichiosis - transmitted by certain tick species. Signs may include fever, lethargy, weight loss, bruising, or nosebleeds.
- Babesiosis - a parasitic infection of red blood cells. Signs may include weakness, pale gums, dark urine, and lethargy.
In humans, Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and Powassan virus are all reportable diseases of public health significance in Ontario. If you or a family member develop symptoms after a possible tick exposure, contact your healthcare provider.
In pets, tick-borne diseases can be screened for with a simple blood test, often combined with the annual heartworm test. Talk to your veterinarian about appropriate testing and timing.
Protecting your pet from ticks
Prevention is the most effective tool you have. A complete approach combines a veterinarian-recommended prevention product with regular tick checks and some simple changes around your home.
