Want it tested for Lyme disease?

Seal it in a zip-top bag and keep it.

Drop it in rubbing alcohol, or seal it in a bag or a piece of tape before throwing it out.

A woman crouching in a grassy field plays with two small dogs—one white and one brown—on a sunny day, with green trees in the background.

Tick Season in Canada: What You Need to Know (And How We're Here to Help)

Pet Health · Aug 7, 2026

Ticks are masters of stealth.

A tick latches onto and bites your dog during a summer hike, but it goes unnoticed. Months pass, the memory fades, and life goes on until a sudden symptom surfaces, seemingly out of nowhere. She stops jumping on the couch, she refuses her favorite game of fetch, then, you notice her knee is swollen.

This exact delay is how Lyme disease catches pet owners completely off guard. By the time bloodwork is done and the vet clinic confirms the diagnosis, that undetected bite from months ago has already done its damage.

If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. The Public Health Agency of Canada, in their annual report, confirmed that Lyme Disease and other tickborne diseases in people have been on the rise over the past few years. (1,2) Veterinary clinics across Canada are also seeing more tickborne diseases than ever. (3,4,5)

Even though this is scary, the great news is that these diseases can be effectively prevented in pets.

When Is Tick Season in Canada?

If you're reading this in the middle of summer, you're inside peak season right now.

The window: roughly March through December. Ticks are active whenever temperatures climb above 4°C, and in southern Ontario this can now occur during all winter months.
Two peaks: a spring surge of adult ticks (from March to June), then a second blacklegged tick wave in the fall.
The worst months for most regions: May through September, but can vary by region

Tick Season Is Lasting Longer (And Moving Farther North)

Tick populations in Canada have surged. The Provincial Health Service Authority reports show that activity across Ontario and Quebec are at record levels, and escalating tick activity in British Columbia is causing increasing concern. (2) And, veterinarians agree that the real number of infections in dogs is likely higher than what gets reported.

Why now? Two things:

The blacklegged tick is cold-hardy enough to survive Canadian winters and is now active during our increasingly warm winter days. Milder winters are allowing the population to expand into areas where they couldn't establish before.

Also, the Lone Star tick is moving north. Found only in the southern US a decade ago, it's now being detected in southern Ontario. They can carry Ehrlichiosis, Heartland virus, and in rare cases, can cause a disorder called alpha-gal syndrome (a condition where a single tick bite can trigger a severe red meat allergy).

The Critical Window: 24–36 Hours

Once a tick attaches, it takes approximately 24 to 36 hours for bacteria to enter the bloodstream. That's your window for tick removal.

Ticks are tiny, sesame seed-sized, and they hide in the warm spots you might not check: behind ears, the interdigital spaces between their toes, at the tail base, and within skin folds. It’s important to do a thorough tick check to ensure your pet is free of ticks before this window closes and the problems begin.

Pets Bring Them Inside

This is another reason vets encourage pet protection: ticks don't stay exclusively outdoors.

While ticks can survive indoors for weeks under the right conditions, there is some good news: the species that carry Lyme disease typically don't survive past 48 hours. However, the risk remains that a surviving tick might reattach to its original host or find a new one: whether that's another pet or a human.

This is how tickborne illness moves from the backyard into homes.

What's in Your Region

Different ticks, different risks:

Blacklegged Tick (Ontario, Quebec, parts of BC): Carries Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis. In dogs: joint pain, fever, lethargy; untreated cases can cause kidney failure.
American Dog Tick (Eastern Alberta through central and eastern Canada): Risk of carrying Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever or, rarely, can cause temporary tick paralysis.
Lone Star Tick (Detected in Southern Ontario, potential to expand): Carries multiple pathogens and can trigger alpha-gal syndrome—an allergy to red meat.

How to Protect Your Family

Start flea and tick prevention early and keep it going through the fall. Prescription preventatives like oral meds, spot-on treatments, and collars work best when they're active before your dog is exposed, so there's real value in getting started today rather than waiting for the next outing.

Other measures for safety include:

Checking your pet thoroughly after outdoor time. Within a few hours of a hike or park visit, do a tick check. During your tick check, look at the hidden spots like behind the ears, between toes, the tail base, and inside skin folds.
Know your walking environment. Dense underbrush and tall grass during May through September is a higher risk. Cleared trails and neighbourhood walks are safer areas during peak months. Small changes to your routine can add to your tick prevention methods.

How to Safely Remove a Tick from your Pet

Grab a pair of fine-tipped tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible, and pull straight up. Don't twist. The goal is to get the whole tick, mouth parts included, so pulling close to the skin matters.

Once it's off, don't flush it. Instead:

Want it tested for Lyme disease? Seal it in a zip-top bag and keep it.
Just want it gone? Drop it in rubbing alcohol, or seal it in a bag or a piece of tape before throwing it out.

If the tick was on your furry friend, watch for symptoms over the following months: joint swelling, shifting leg lameness, reluctance to jump, a fever that comes and goes, and behaviour changes.

Unsure whether something you've noticed warrants a full exam? A video consultation is a great first step. A veterinarian can ask detailed questions about outdoor exposure, help you gauge how serious the symptoms are, and tell you whether in-clinic testing is necessary. You get guidance quickly, without the stressful trip.

Flea, Tick, and Work Myth Busting

MYTH #1: Prescription Meds Are Toxic

The Truth: Vet-prescribed treatments undergo rigorous safety testing

MYTH #2: Parasites Don't Spread to Humans

The Truth: Fleas, ticks, and worms (or the diseases they carry) can easily transfer from pets to people. Children, the elderly, and immune-compromised family members are most at risk.

MYTH #3: You should flush ticks down the toilet.

TRUTH: It gets rid of the tick, but you lose the chance to test it. Instead, drown it in rubbing alcohol or seal it in a plastic bag so a vet or doctor can test it for Lyme disease if symptoms appear.

Let's Build Your Prevention Plan

Whether you're concerned about your dog's unexplained symptoms, want to strengthen your pet's current prevention routine, or need a strategy tailored to you and your pet's region and lifestyle, don't wait.

An undiagnosed case with delayed treatment? This can result in months of wondering what's wrong, escalating vet bills, and sometimes necessitates longer courses of treatment. Occasionally, a delayed diagnosis and treatment can result in permanent damage.

TELUS Health MyPet is here to help.

If you’re in BC and already know what you need, you can shop directly in the TELUS Health MyPet Store. If not, schedule a video consultation today on the TELUS MyPet Store app. We will help you create a personalized defense plan for you and your pet so you can enjoy the summer with total confidence.
Book Your Virtual Consultation now on the TELUS Health MyPet Store app

References: