Dog owners warned Scotland is among worst areas for ticks
Scotland has been named amongst the worst areas in the UK for ticks being found on dogs.
Almost one in three dogs across the UK were found to have ticks during random checks of pets, in the largest survey of its kind.
Researchers found that the tiny, spider-like creatures were present all across the country, with the likelihood of a dog picking one up equal in both rural and urban areas.
They pose a risk as they can transmit bacteria that cause diseases such as Lyme disease, which can lead to very serious conditions including meningitis or heart failure if left untreated, even proving fatal.
The highest risk areas were Scotland, the South West and East Anglia.
Conservationist Chris Packham, who is taking part in the project, said it had been "tremendously significant" work which had revealed "some very shocking and surprising things about the distribution, the population and potential that ticks have to give diseases to our pets and ourselves".
He said pet owners should be aware of risks in woodlands and areas of long grass, but said urban areas were also affected.
Ticks and the diseases they carry have become a rapidly growing problem across the UK, according to the project, with the distribution of ticks estimated to have expanded by 17% across Great Britain in the last decade.
The growing threat is thought to be partly down to the wet, warm winters the UK has had in recent years, meaning ticks can start feeding earlier and for longer throughout the year.
Ticks do not jump or fly, but wait until an animal or person brushes past to climb on. They then bite to attach to the skin and start to feed on the blood.