White Bump Caused By Dog Tick

by Kristina
(New York, NY, USA)

Reader Question: Is This A Serious Case Of Ticks?

I removed a tick from my dog that had probably been on her for 3 to 4 days. I feel like it was a whole tick but there is a very small raised white spot where I removed the tick from. No swelling or anything abnormal. Just the small raised white spot. Is this any reason for concern? It's been 3 weeks....

Vet Gives Her Input On Reader's Finding of Dog Tick

Hi Kristina,

I don’t think you have much of a reason to worry about the spot that you describe. If I had to guess (and that’s all I can do without seeing your dog), I would say that either a small amount of scar tissue has formed at the site of the tick bite, or that a tiny, encapsulated pocket of inflammatory cells and debris has developed. In either case, the fact that it’s not inflamed, swollen, or bothering your dog indicates that it is probably not a big concern.

If I were you, I’d just keep an eye on it. If it grows or gets worse in any way, make an appointment with your veterinarian. Otherwise, just bring it to his or her attention at your next, regularly scheduled appointment.

Regards,

Jennifer Coates, DVM