Ticks are unpleasant external parasites of the arachnid family that feed on blood and, in addition to causing itching and skin irritation, can transmit dangerous diseases to dogs, such as babesiosis, ehrlichiosis or Lyme disease, among others.
To avoid the consequences of tick bites, it is essential to protect furry ones, especially during the hottest months, with specific repellent products for dogs such as collars or pipettes, as well as checking them well after outings to the countryside or rural areas. However, and even if we use preventive methods, sometimes we can find a tick attached to the skin of our dog and, in that case, it is important to know how to remove it correctly. Therefore, in this article on our site we explain, step by step, how to remove a tick from a dog
How to remove a tick from a dog step by step?
Once the tick is located, it should be removed as soon as possible, because the longer the parasite spends attached to the dog's skin, the more likely it is to transmit some type of infection. To do this, the ideal is to have some special tweezers to remove ticks, which you can easily find for sale in specialized stores or veterinary clinics.
The steps to safely remove a tick from a dog with tweezers are as follows:
- Place your dog in a position that is comfortable for you to work in and allows you to see the parasite well. If necessary, ask another person to help you hold the animal.
- With one hand, remove the hair around the tick to keep the skin visible and with the other hand take a pair of tweezers special for the extraction of ticks. If you don't have one, you can use normal fine-tipped pliers.
- Grab the tick positioning the tweezers as close to the dog's skin as possible Don't put too much pressure on the parasite because, if you If you crush it, you could introduce its saliva into the dog's bloodstream or split its head, which would remain totally or partially inside the animal's skin. Don't shake or twist it either.
- Once you have it well with the tweezers, pull it gently backwards and check that it is complete and that it is not he has split his head.
- Kill the tick to make sure it can't latch onto the dog again. To do this, soak it in alcohol, burn it or wrap it well in paper, crush it and put it in a bag before throwing it away. Never crush it directly with your fingers. Another option is to release it well away from your home (and from any other home) to prevent it from infesting other dogs, without having to end its life.
- After extracting and eliminating each tick, you must Carefully treat the small wound that they cause on your furry's skin. Wash the area with plenty of soap and water and then apply a little betadine with a gauze pad. If the skin is irritated or the dog is very itchy, the vet may recommend the use of a specific cream or ointment.
- To finish, Wash and disinfect your hands well.
During the following days it is important that you monitor your dog's behavior. If you notice him apathetic or detect that he has a fever or any other symptom of illness, go to your veterinarian
Remedies to remove a tick from a dog
Although the use of tweezers is the most efficient, quickest and safest method for removing ticks from dogs, there are also alternatives that can be useful in some cases, for example, when ticks are in hard-to-reach areas or when you don't have the right tools at hand.
How to remove a tick from a dog with alcohol?
Soak a gauze pad or cotton ball well with alcohol and place it on the tick, exerting slight pressure on it for a few minutes. After this time, the parasite will most likely die and detach itself from the dog. If not, hold the gauze for a few more seconds until the tick is easy to remove. You can also do this with acetone instead of alcohol.
This method is usually effective in killing ticks and other external parasites, but it is not recommended to abuse it, since alcohol it can cause burns and lesions in the tick causing it, before dying, to "vomit" fluids in the animal's blood, being able to transmit an infection to it at that moment.
Other tick removal products
There are other methods to remove a tick from a dog that are based on the use of natural products that act as repellents The effectiveness of these methods is not as high, but can be a good alternative when a better system is not available. Of course, you should only use them if your dog has one or two ticks, in case of more serious infestations, go to your veterinary center so that a professional can apply the appropriate procedures. Learn how to remove a tick from a dog without tweezers with these methods:
- Manzanilla: make an infusion of chamomile, soak a gauze pad with it and place it on the tick for a few minutes until it detaches from the animal. Chamomile has a repellent, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effect, so its use will not negatively affect your dog's skin. In fact, it is also used to clean dogs' eyes: "How to clean a dog's eyes with chamomile?".
- Lemon: Boil a couple of cut lemons in a liter of water over low heat for one hour. After this time, place the mixture in a spray bottle and spray well all over the skin area where the tick is so that it loosens. Never use this method if the parasite is near the dog's nose or eyes, as it could cause irritation.
- Oil: sometimes a few drops of olive oil applied directly to the tick can cause it to "drown" and die, making it easier to extract. However, this method is not always effective.
- Vinagre: mix apple cider vinegar and water in equal parts and soak a gauze pad or cotton ball with the resulting liquid. Then, press on the tick for a few minutes without exerting too much force and see if it comes off. Keep in mind that the vinegar will leave an unpleasant smell on the dog's hair that can be very annoying to the animal and it is likely that it will try to lick the area to remove the product, which should be avoided. This product is also useful against fleas: "How to remove fleas from my dog with vinegar?".
How to remove a tick from a dog's ear?
Ears are areas with the thinnest skin and, therefore, it is common for ticks to attach to them. Likewise, they are also very delicate parts, for this reason it is not advisable to apply all the remedies previously exposed in case they penetrate inside the ear. In this way, to remove a tick from a dog's ear, the best thing to do is use the tweezers following the steps above If you have several ticks or are parasite in an area of difficult access, we recommend going to the veterinary center so that a professional can remove it.
What to do if the head of the tick remains inside the dog?
When removing a tick from a dog you should always check that the parasite you have just removed is complete and that no part of its body has remained attached to the dog. If you pull the tick too hard, twist or shake it to remove it, or use the wrong methods or instruments, the parasite's head may separate from the body and become embedded in the dog's skinIf this happens, the dog may develop a secondary infection characterized by an inflammatory reaction in the area that can be bothersome and painful.
If the head of the tick has detached but you can see it clearly attached to the dog's skin, you can try to remove it using the same tweezersor a sterile needle. If this is difficult for you, the head of the parasite cannot be seen or it has already become encysted in the dog's skin, go to the veterinarian so that he or she can decide how to act. Sometimes the head of the tick ends up coming out by itself after the application of a treatment and, on other occasions, it may be necessary to remove it by a professional.
If the dog has been very exposed to tick bites, it is recommended that the veterinarian carry out an infectious disease test to rule out that the parasite could have transmitted any pathology.
