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Dog bit by tick, now has a red bump. When to worry about infection?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered

My dog got bit by a tick. I removed it on Saturday, the tick was slightly engorged. Since I removed it, he has had a red bump with a pimple like head that's a bit crusty. At what point do I need to take him to the vet to make sure it is not infected? It doesn't seem to be bothering him.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on November 1st, 2016

A tick will bite and then inject an anticoagulant and anesthetic into the wound so it can suck blood. When you removed the tick you may have accidentally left the head in the wound, which will come out by itself eventually. The bump is caused by a reaction to the tick's anticoagulant/anesthetic. There are two types of infection possible (but fairly rare considering how many animals get bitten by ticks) 1) a local reaction with a little abscess. This will usually go away by itself and will not need to be examined by a vet unless it starts to ooze or increases in size, hurts or looks very angry. 2) there is always a chance that the tick was infected by the bacterium that cause Lyme disease or by a blood parasite or another tick-born disease. Should your dog get ill or act lethargic or get a fever within the next 2 to 4 weeks , he needs to be seen by a vet who can do blood tests to find out whether there is an infection.

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11Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Other Answers

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on September 24th, 2018

    After removing a tick, there is usually a small bump at the bite location that could remain for up to 2 weeks. Continue to monitor the site until the bump disappears. As long as this small bump is not red or itchy and progressively gets smaller, there isn’t cause for concern. If the bump gets larger, becomes discolored, inflamed or infected, or otherwise continues to bother your dog, it’s time for a visit to your veterinarian. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

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    3Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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