The American Dog Tick is a threat not only to dogs, but humans as well. It is about 3/16th inch in size with dark areas on its back-one of the larger hard-shelled ticks. The female can lay 6500 eggs, which hatch in less than two months. The adults can live over two years. This tick is known for carrying Rocky Mountain spotted fever, as well as tick paralysis.

Dogs permitted to run through infested meadows can pick up hundreds of ticks in just one day.