Tick bites are, indeed, something to worry about. Ticks are vectors for serious disease. By the time one’s dog begins to show symptoms of illness, it is often too late to avoid health problems. The good news is that ticks do not transmit disease for at least 24 hours after biting; so frequent tick-checks can circumvent these problems. Better still, take steps to ensure that ticks do not bite the dog, in the first place.