Ticks are small arachnids found throughout the United States. They bite humans and animals to feed on blood. Additionally, they can spread tick-borne diseases that pose a danger to their host.
It is common for dogs to be bitten by ticks, so it is essential to check your dog regularly, especially after he has been outside.
Read on to learn how to safely remove a tick from your dog and how to prevent tick infestations and diseases in the first place.
How to safely remove a tick from a dog
You can remove a tick from your dog safely at home. However, if you don’t feel comfortable doing this, you can take your dog to the vet.
You will need the following tick removal materials:
- Gloves
- Tweezers or tick remover
- Isopropyl alcohol (or other disinfectant)
Once you have the supplies, you can follow the following steps.
1. Identify a tick on your dog
Ticks can be difficult to find on your dog, especially if they have long fur. Scan your dog’s body by running your fingers through the hair along the skin. Feel for any small bumps and part your dog’s fur to examine anything suspicious. Ticks can be tiny. Make sure it’s a tick and not something else, like a skin tag.
Ticks can be found anywhere on your dog’s body, but some of the most common areas are on the feet, legs, armpits, face, head, ears, and neck.
2. Safely remove the tick
Once you find a tick, it is important to remove it as soon as possible. The correct way to remove it depends on the tools used.
How to remove a tick with tweezers:
- Grasp the head of the tick with tweezers. This is the part of the tick closest to your pet’s skin, so be careful not to pinch it. Also, do not pull from the body of the tick as you may risk detaching the body from the head.
- Gently and slowly, remove the tick from your dog’s skin with a steady motion.
How to remove a tick with a tick removal tool:
- Follow the instructions on the instrument packaging. Typically, you’ll first slide the notched end of the tick remover along your dog’s skin to place the tick between the notches.
- Gently and steadily, pull outward to remove the tick.
Check for the tick after removing it from your dog’s skin. Make sure it is completely intact, including its mouthparts and body.
Watching tick removal videos can be helpful in making sure you do it correctly.
3. Kill the tick and dispose of it
Once removed, you need to kill the tick and dispose of it properly so it doesn’t bite you or your dog again. You can flush the mint down the toilet.
If you want your vet to test your tick for disease, you can store it in a closed container and take it to an animal hospital.
4. Clean
Once you’re done, wash your hands, clean your dog’s skin with an antiseptic, and disinfect the tweezers or tick remover with rubbing alcohol.
5. Observe your dog for any signs of illness
If your dog develops an illness from a tick bite, it should be treated early. Fortunately, the best pet insurance companies often cover treatment of tick-borne diseases.
Take your dog to the vet if you notice anything unusual, including the following signs of infection. Keep in mind that symptoms may take weeks or months after the tick bite appears.
- Lethargy
- Fever
- Weakness and tiredness
- Lameness
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- Muscle or joint pain
- Swollen limbs
- Convulsions
- Depression
- Weight loss or poor appetite
- Nosebleeds
Why are ticks dangerous for my dog?
Ticks are external parasites that can carry dangerous bacteria. When they bite humans, dogs or other animals, they attach to the host’s skin to consume its blood. In this way, ticks can transmit diseases to their host and cause infections.
While symptoms may vary, illnesses caused by ticks can be serious and even fatal to dogs in extreme cases.
Ticks can cause the following diseases:
- Lyme disease
- Canine ehrlichiosis
- Anaplasma
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever
- Babesiosis
- Bartonella
- Hepatozoonosis
The types of ticks that can cause the above diseases include the black-legged tick, deer tick, brown dog tick, lone star tick, American dog tick, and Rocky Mountain wood tick.
How can I prevent my dog from getting ticks?
You can help prevent tick infestations in your dog with a preventative product. This not only keeps your dog safe, but also prevents the spread of these parasites in your home, among your family, and other pets.
Discuss your dog’s risks with your veterinarian. They may recommend prevention year-round, depending on where you live. Additionally, it’s important to know that all prevention products differ in what they cover: some cover a combination of fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, heartworms, and more.
Here are common tick prevention options for dogs:
- Topical protection against fleas and ticks: Frontline, K9 Advantix II, Vectra 3D, Onguard
- Oral protection against fleas and ticks: Simparica Trio, Bravecto, NexGard, Credelio
- Flea and tick collars: Seresto
Fortunately, some of the best pet wellness plans include preventative flea and tick coverage.
How to Remove a Tick from a Dog Frequently Asked Questions
What will attract a tick to a dog?
The best way to remove a tick from a dog is to use tweezers or a tick remover. It is not recommended to use other methods to extract a tick from a dog’s skin, such as petroleum jelly, alcohol or heat. These methods can cause the tick to vomit bacteria, thus increasing the risk of infection. If you can’t safely remove the tick at home, call your vet to make an appointment.
What Instantly Kills Ticks on Dogs?
Many flea and tick protection products are designed to kill a tick once it bites your dog. They effectively prevent the spread of tick-borne diseases. The best way to kill a tick instantly is to remove it yourself as soon as you notice it.
Will rubbing alcohol remove a tick from a dog?
It is not recommended to use rubbing alcohol to remove a tick from a dog. This is because rubbing alcohol can cause the tick to vomit and dissipate the bacteria in your dog’s body before it is removed. The most effective way to remove the tick is to use tweezers or a tool to gently remove the tick from the dog’s skin.
Should you remove a tick from your dog yourself?
You can safely remove a tick from your dog at home with tweezers or a special tick removal tool. However, you can take your dog to the vet if you don’t feel comfortable doing so yourself.
Summary of Money’s guide on how to remove a tick from a dog
You can safely remove a tick from your dog at home using tweezers or a tick removal tool. Use the following steps:
1. Check your dog’s skin regularly, especially after going outside. If you notice a small bump, examine the area to identify whether it is a tick.
2. Safely remove the tick with tweezers or a tick removal tool. When using tweezers, grasp the tick by the head and firmly pull the insect out of your dog’s skin. If you use a removal tool, follow the instructions on the package, as the design of the tool may vary.
3. Kill the tick and dispose of it.
4. Wash your hands, clean your dog’s skin and disinfect the tweezers or tool.
5. Check your dog for signs of a tick-borne disease.