Can You Get Ticks from Pets?

Can you get ticks from pets? Yes—and many people are exposed to ticks inside their own homes without realizing it.

Dogs and cats can carry ticks indoors, where they may crawl onto furniture, bedding, or directly onto household members. This can increase the risk of tick bites—even if you haven’t been outdoors yourself.

For a broader overview of tick exposure and symptoms, see Lyme disease symptoms guide.

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Do Pets Increase Your Risk of Tick Bites?

Research suggests they do.

In a study by Jones et al., households with pets had significantly higher rates of tick encounters—even when tick prevention products were used.

• 20% found ticks on their pets
• 31.4% reported ticks crawling on household members
• 19.2% found ticks attached to a household member

Pet-owning households had a 1.83 times greater risk of finding ticks crawling on people and a 1.49 times greater risk of tick attachment.

When ticks were found on pets, the risk increased further:

• 2.69 times greater risk of ticks crawling on people
• 2.5 times greater risk of tick attachment

Even with tick control products, exposure still occurred. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

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How Pets Bring Ticks into the Home

Pets can act as carriers, transporting ticks from outdoor environments into indoor living spaces.

Once inside, ticks may detach and crawl onto people or surfaces, increasing the chance of unnoticed exposure.

Common reasons include:

1. Pets pick up ticks outdoors and carry them inside
2. Owners and pets share tick habitats during walks or play
3. Close contact (beds, furniture) increases transfer risk

For more on what happens after a bite, see what to do after a tick bite.

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Why Tick Exposure Still Happens Despite Prevention

Many households use tick control products—but these do not eliminate risk entirely.

Ticks may attach before being killed, fall off after entering the home, or evade detection during grooming.

In the study, researchers noted that tick control on pets did not fully prevent human exposure.

Environmental factors also increase risk, including:

• Gardens, compost piles, and log piles
• Bird feeders and stone walls
• Outdoor play areas

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Clinical Takeaway

Yes, you can get ticks from pets. They can carry ticks into the home, increasing the risk of exposure even without direct outdoor contact.

Regular tick checks—for both pets and household members—are essential, along with appropriate veterinary guidance on tick prevention.

For prevention strategies, see Lyme disease prevention strategies.

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Dr. Daniel Cameron, MD, MPH
Lyme disease clinician with over 30 years of experience and past president of ILADS.

Symptoms • Testing • Coinfections • Recovery • Pediatric • Prevention