Ticks Are Way Worse This Summer—Here's Everything Pet Parents Need to Know

In 2023, Kate and Sylvia Boyd — pet parents based in Southern Maine — brought their two dogs to the beach on a summer trip to Massachusetts and watched the pets get immediately swarmed by ticks. 

“There were easily 12 to 15 on them within the first 45 minutes of arriving,” they remember. Each year, they feel like tick seasons are getting worse: “With warmer weather, comes more ticks.”

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It’s an experience that many pet parents know all too well: After a fun day out with your pup, you come come home and find a blood-sucking, unwelcome guest crawling through their fur — or worse, stuck to their skin. And they really do seem to be worse this year already. So, are they?

You’re not just imagining it — ticks are worse this year.

Experts confirm, that unfortunately 2025 is already a particularly bad year for ticks.

“Compared to the first five months of last year, in 2025 we have seen twice the number of ticks,” says Saravanan Thangamani, a professor of microbiology and immunology who works with a tick testing program at Upstate Medical University in New York. “The majority of the ticks being found are pulled off of kids, old people, or pets, which is pretty scary.”

He adds that two tick-borne illnesses, anaplasmosis and babesiosis, are also increasing in the New York area, where his lab performs tests. Both pathogens cause symptoms in humans and animals including fever, headache, muscle aches, and chills. 

So, why are ticks worse this year?

Tick increases can be fueled by a number of factors, including weather. Thangamani posits that because New York state experienced a long winter, as soon as spring hit, people and their pets went outdoors in droves — and the ticks were waiting. “This confluence of human and tick behavior increases the number of encounters,” he says.

The long winter and sudden influx of outdoor activities may increase the number of encounters, as Thangamani notes. But relatively warm temperatures year-round in some areas can also increase tick count, says Dr. Gabrielle Fadl, director of primary care at Bond Vet in New York.

“Each year with increasing temperatures, we tend to find that tick season is becoming less seasonal and more of an ongoing issue,” she says. “Ticks tend to go dormant when temperatures drop below about 40 Fahrenheit, and with more of these unseasonably warm days, we find ticks during a time of year we wouldn’t expect.”

Lauren Hoskins, who lives in Springfield, Missouri, and has two dogs, says she also feels that this year is particularly bad for ticks — and longer. As early as March, she began seeing ticks crawling around on a picnic blanket when she was sitting outside. Although she hasn’t found any on her pets yet, she is keeping their flea medication up to date and searching them rigorously after outdoor time. “I have seen enough ticks now that I am feeling hyperaware," she says.

Dr. Fadl notes that while ticks may attach to cats and transmit diseases, cats tend to be more resistant to the bacteria that cause Lyme disease, and rarely show signs of illness. Still, in some regions of the U.S. ticks can infect cats with bacteria that can cause more severe illnesses. Nation-wide, dogs are particularly susceptible to ticks, she notes. 

What should you do to protect your pet?

“If your dog or cat is going outside, it is strongly recommended to use a tick-preventive medication to protect your pet from illness,” she says. “These medications are safe, effective and certainly more affordable than treatment of these diseases!”

Dr. Amy Fox, a veterinarian also based in New York, agrees: “There are many highly effective topical and oral medications you can use on your pets to protect them against ticks, she says. “All pets should be on appropriate preventatives if you live in an area with lots of ticks, or if you plan to visit those areas with your pets.”

In addition to preventative medications, pet parents should always check their animals after trips outdoors. They can be brushed thoroughly and hand-checked throughout their fur. 

“Since ticks like to hide in dark, hidden spots on pets, be sure to check inside your pet’s ears, around their neck, under their tail and on their bellies,” Dr. Fox says. “The longer a tick is attached, the more likely it is to transmit disease; if they are found and removed promptly, transmission can be avoided.”

If you do see a tick on your pup or kitty, remove it immediately. Many pet parents find tools like this Tick Remover or the Tick Tornado to remove these nasty parasitic bugs from a wiggly dog or cat. If you think your pet is showing any signs of a tick-related illness (lethargy, obvious joint pain, loss of appetite, etc.), call your vet right away.

When in doubt, there are services that will test ticks for infectious diseases, Dr. Fox notes, like the one Thangamani coordinates. Some states have free tick-testing programs, and when testing requires payment costs range from $45 to $200. Some pet parents may find this is a small price to pay for peace of mind.