Deer ticks are not to be confused with brown dog ticks. Although both tick species are hard ticks and are brown in color, the deer tick is very different from other common ticks.
Even at their smallest size, brown dog ticks are much larger than deer ticks. Brown dog ticks can be up to 5 millimeters in size, whereas a deer tick is usually compared to a sesame seed in size. Brown dog ticks carry Rocky Mountain spotted fever, not Lyme disease, in most cases. Deer ticks are the chief carriers of Lyme disease and can carry other diseases as well.
Areas where deer ticks can be found include the bodies of their hosts and in bushy or grassy areas in the woods. Deer ticks will locate themselves near paths or trails where animals travel and will wait until a host passes by, and then latch on to its hair or fur.
Deer ticks have a limited range, and are found mostly in the U.S. where their primary hosts, white-tailed deer, are located. Brown dog ticks are widespread throughout the world. They are one of the most common ticks around, since their primary hosts, dogs, are found worldwide.
If you find a tick of any size or color on yourself or your pet, remove it immediately. Ticks transmit diseases within the first 48 hours of biting their host. If a tick has bitten you or your pet, preserve it when you remove it. All tick-borne diseases are easier to diagnose if the known vector, or carrier, can be identified.
Preserve your tick in rubbing alcohol and take the species with you when you go to the doctor, or take your pet to the veterinarian. Deer tick bites, or brown dog tick bites may not present symptoms for a number of days or, sometimes, weeks. Having the tick species available to identify can help to diagnose a problem quickly.