We have had a special request from a reader asking about the best way to remove a tick. We try to respond to individual requests, especially when the topic is essential to so many dog owners. Early tick removal is vital to the health of your dog, so here is our response.
Is Tick-Borne Disease A Serious Problem?
Most dog owners are aware of the seriousness of tick-borne illnesses. While Lyme Disease is better known than either Ehrlichiosis or Babesiosis, these (and other) tick-borne diseases are transmitted to humans and dogs by the thousands each year.
A colleague of mine in Massachusetts was infected with all three of these at once via one tick bite!!! These can be life-threatening illnesses and often leave life-altering effects. Several autoimmune diseases are associated with having had a previous tick-borne disease.
https://excellentdogsclub.com/lyme-disease-in-dogs/
How Important Is Early Tick Removal?
It is known that within 3 to 6 hours of being bit by a tick, the transmission of a pathogen may occur. You may read that removing a tick within the first 24 hours after a bite will prevent you or your dog from becoming ill.
While it minimizes the chances, it most certainly is no guarantee that you or your dog will not become infected. Clearly, the sooner the tick is removed, the less chance there is of becoming infected
Is Tick Removal Hard To Learn?
Although learning how to remove ticks from your dog is essential, it is not difficult to learn or to do. Granted, although removing a tick may not be a particularly pleasant thing to have to do, doing it correctly and quickly is important. And, it is not very hard to do, once you have learned a suitable technique.
You might think that tick removal is self-explanatory and needs no instructions. However, there are myths about the process that can be harmful, and you should know about them.
Before we teach you how to remove a tick, you need to know a little bit about the tick.
Here are a few facts about the tiny but terrible tick.
- There are about 200 species of ticks in the U.S. alone. Their sizes range from so tiny you may not be able to see them without a magnifying glass to some as big as the tip of your finger.
- Ticks are not insects. They have eight legs and are in the Class Arachnida, so they’re in the same class as spiders.
- They have an unusual breeding habit as they only breed while feeding on the blood of their hosts. I am not sure how this physical feat is performed. However, they breed while attached to the host and the drop to the ground before laying their eggs. Ticks lay about 3000 eggs but a few prolific species can lay up to 20,000 eggs.
- Ticks cannot fly or jump to latch on to a host. They simply latch on to a host when they walk through the bush or grass where the tick lies in wait.
Knowing When and What to Look For Helps
First of all, knowing when to look for a tick is essential. There are specific seasons of the year when ticks are most active. Spring to fall is their busiest season, so to speak. If your dog is exposed to bushes or tall grass during that period, you need to examine their coat each day carefully. The best time to do is upon returning home from a walk where they might have been exposed.
What Does A Tick Look Like?
Ticks have a body made of its body with legs that resemble a crab. Its mouth has barbs for feeding that look like small harpoons. They can stick to a dog’s fur or a human body because they secrete a sticky solution that holds them to its host.
Ticks are tough little rascals. They not only survive; they thrive in many environments. Ticks can be found in forests, on the beach, our lawns, and in suburban and, occasionally, urban locations. They feed on almost anything that has blood, whether birds, other insects, or mammals. They are pretty much equal opportunity blood-suckers.
Now, On To Tick Removal From Your Dog
This first section will inform you about what supplies you will need. The second section will instruct you on the appropriate steps necessary to remove the tick safely. There are many natural approaches to removing ticks. These methods will be addressed in a later article if there is an expressed interest.
What Supplies Do You Need to Remove a Tick From Your Dog?
- Tweezers. Most tweezers found around the house have blunt tips. It is better to use tweezers with fine point tips. These tweezers help you to avoid crushing the tick and possibly spreading potential infections into the wound made by the tick bite.
- Rubber gloves
- Antiseptic wipes, spray, or ointment to disinfect the site of the tick bite. An alternative for cleaning the area is OTC chlorhexidine.
- Jar or container with lid containing rubbing alcohol
- Treats (for distraction)
The Process of Tick Removal From Your Dog
- Put on your gloves. Since ticks carry infectious diseases that can be transmitted to both dogs and humans, it is safest to wear protective gloves.
- Working with a calm dog is easier on both him and on you. This is where the treats come in. Dog treats can be used as either a distraction or as a reward for good behavior. Having another person helping to keep your dog calm while you remove the tick will make the process easier, faster, and safer.
- Some dogs are more upset with grooming or any prodding or poking on their body that is beyond their usual routine. If your dog becomes very agitated, overly frightened, or aggressive during the process of removing a tick, stop what you are doing. Do not force the issue. This is the time for you to allow a veterinarian to take over.
- Once your dog is calm, and you have located the tick, position the fine pointed tweezers over the tick. Carefully, but firmly, grasp the tick as near to the dog’s skin as you can manage to do. This gives you the best opportunity to remove the tick with its head still attached to its body.
- Do your best to avoid pinching the skin surrounding the tick.
- Using steady pressure and pulling straight out, remove the tick from your dog’s skin. You do not want to leave any portion of the tick (especially its mouth) still attached, so avoid twisting or jerking motions as you remove the tick.
- Many people believe that it is the tick’s head that frequently remains in the dog’s skin. However, ticks don’t have heads, in the way we think of them. Actually, the body part that gets embedded into your dog’s skin called “mouth parts.”
- Further, be exceptionally careful to avoid crushing or squeezing the tick. Any fluids coming from the tick’s body may be infectious to you and your dog.
- Do not attempt to remove a tick without the tweezers. Using only your fingers will not work, and you will likely crush the tick and squeeze out infectious fluids.
-
The Process of Disposing of the Tick
- Kill the offending tick by placing it in the container you have previously filled with rubbing alcohol. You will want to keep this jar for a few days to see if your dog begins to exhibit any signs or symptoms of infectious disease. There are many kinds of ticks carrying varied diseases, so your vet may need to examine the tick to make an accurate diagnosis.
- Once you have removed the tick and placed it in a container with rubbing alcohol, do not forget to cleanse the site of the tick bite with rubbing alcohol. Then, treat with a triple an antibiotic ointment or spray.
- Disinfect the tweezers or other tick removal tool
- Thoroughly wash your hands with soapy, hot water.
- Give your dog a treat for being such a good boy or girl!
Once the Tick Is Removed From Your Dog, There Are Still Two More Important Steps To Take to Protect Your Dog
Step One
- Do not forget to keep a close watch on your dog for several weeks after any tick bite. Watch out for unusual signs or symptoms that might be associated with the tick bite and potential infections. The most common of these might be the following.
- Decrease in appetite
- Swelling or redness near the site of the tick bite
- Swollen lymph nodes, especially near the site
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Joint Pain ( new reluctance for the dog to move in any manner)
Take your dog to his vet immediately if he displays any of the above signs or symptoms. Be sure to take the container with the tick for the vet to examine as well.
Step Two
Prevent your dog from future tick bites as best you can. If you have not already placed your dog on a tick prevention product, you should do so now. If he was on a product, double-check to be sure that it will protect against ticks and not just against fleas. Further, if it is not working, speak to your veterinarian about his recommendation for a more effective product to prevent fleas and ticks from attacking your dog.
Remember to carefully examine your dog for ticks each time he is possibly exposed to a tick filled environment, even if that is daily during tick season.
One Myth and Other Options To Assist In Tick Removal From Your Dog
You may have been advised to force a tick to back out of the dog’s skin by touching it with a lit match. DO NOT TO THIS unless you wish to make the tick release toxins into your dog’s system or to risk burning your dog.
If you live in a particularly tick-infested area, you may wish to use a tick removal hook. You have a few brand options. The Tick-Stick and Tick Twister are two of them. I have never used either one of them, but they seem to be easy enough to use. They have prongs that you place on either side of the offending tick and twist upward. I might be a bit concerned about crushing the tick and causing the potential release of toxins or infectious fluids into the dog.
This is not a recommendation, merely mentioning that it is an option available for consideration. Some people have problems managing tweezers effectively due to poor manual dexterity, so this may be a viable option for them, especially.
Removing Ticks in dogs may be possible with various home remedies. Many people report success with the use of Apple Cider Vinegar, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Rosemary, or Almond Oil. If there is interest in this topic, we will be happy to provide more information on these options. If you wish to read about natural home remedies for tick removal, let us know in the comment box.
Photos Courtesy of Pixabay
https://happymutt.org/canine-bartonellosis-what-you-know-can-save-you-and-your-pooch/