Around 25 species of Ticks call Arizona home.  The most common is the Brown Dog Tick.  As seen in the picture to the left they are reddish brown in color unless engorged with blood.  Ticks can live their entire life on one host but are capable of going 3-5 months without feeding.  They usually stay on dogs but occasionally bite humans too.  Ticks are found year-round in Arizona and can be especially numerous after seasonal rainfall.

Brown Dog Ticks are not known to transmit Lyme Disease.  However, they can spread Canine Ehrlichiosis, and Canine Babesia in dogs and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in humans.  The canine diseases both cause anemia which can be fatal.

Pets in our area commonly get fleas from being around other infested animals- cats, dogs, squirrels, rabbits, etc.  In April 2015, and May 2016 fleas from a colony located in a prairie dog burrow just outside of Flagstaff, AZ tested positive for Bubonic Plague which can be deadly for both animals and humans.