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Removing Ticks From Your Dog Article

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Finding and Removing Ticks From Your Dog

from: Kyle Besser

The threat of disease is always present where ticks are concerned, and these risks should be taken seriously. Since most tick-borne diseases will take several hours to transmit to a host, the sooner a tick is located and removed, the lower the risk of disease transmission.

To search for ticks on your dog, run your hands all over the body. Pay close attention to the ears, neck, skin folds and other crevices. Examine any raised areas closely by parting the hair. If you are not in a very well-lit area, you can use a flashlight. Depending on species and life stage, a tick can be as small as a pencil point or as large as a lima bean if they have been feeding for awhile.

If you live in an area where ticks are prevalent or your dog spends a lot of time in high grasses or wooded areas, you should check for ticks once or twice a day. If you find an embedded tick, remove it promptly.

How To Remove Ticks

1. Wear latex gloves to protect yourself. Use a pair of tweezers or a specially designed tick removal tool to grasp the tick at the point of attachment. This should be done as close to the skin as possible.

2. Be very careful not to squeeze the body of the tick, as this may cause bacteria and disease containing materials to be injected into the site.

3. Pull the tick straight out from the skin slowly and steadily, without twisting or turning. Some of your dog's skin may come off with the tick, but this is normal. If bleeding occurs, apply light pressure to the area.

4. If part of the tick's head still appears to be embedded, use the tweezers to gently pull it out. If some of the head cannot be removed, do not become alarmed. This should fall off eventually and rarely causes complications.

5. Once removed, the tick should be handled carefully. Some people prefer to flush ticks down the toilet, but saving the tick for further identification is a good idea. Place the tick in a small airtight container, such as a pill bottle or jar. You may wish to add some rubbing alcohol to the container. Label the container with the date you removed it from your dog and store. If your dog should become ill, positive identification of the tick can be helpful.

6. After the tick is removed, clean your dog's skin at the bite area with mild soap and water. Watch this spot for several days in case of further irritation or infection. If the area does not clear up in a few days, contact your veterinarian.

There are really no shortcuts to make a tick release itself from its host. A tick will not voluntarily detach until its meal is complete. You may read that you should apply hot matches, nail polish, petroleum jelly, alcohol or other chemicals to get the tick to release. These methods are not effective and can actually be harmful to your dog.