Should your dog get a tick, as the do occasionally, you need to remove it as soon as possible. If you live in an area or frequent an area high in tick population, be sure to check your dog regularly. You may want to give your dog a tick bath if you’ve been in “tick territory” as soon as you get home using a tick shampoo. Check your dog regularly, especially during the summer months, for any lumps. The tick will be about the size of a small raisin in its engorged state. Ticks like to embed themselves near the head. However, they will embed themselves almost anywhere on your dog.
Once a tick has imbedded itself into your dog, the removal tends to be a little more difficult. This is a simple procedure you should be able to do at home. Take a pair of fine-tip tweezers or a tick removal instrument and grab the tick by the head right where it enters into the skin. Be sure to not grab the tick by the body. Using a smooth and gentle motion, pull the tick straight out. Do not twist the tick. Should there be any tick remains under the skin, try to get out as much as possible. Don’t worry if you can’t get it all. The dogs immune system should dislodge it through a small abscess. A complication of an imbedded tick or one that has been removed incorrectly is transmission of diseases or infections.If the engorged body should rupture, wash any exposed area with warm, soapy water immediately.
There are many myths about tick removal. Trying to burn the tick out will not make the tick back out of your dog. You will be taking a chance of burning your dog even worse, catching your best friend on fire. Petroleum jelly or fingernail polish does not work either. We should not recommend any of the “myth” methods.
Dispose of the tick by putting rubbing alcohol on it or burning it. When removing the tick, you may want to wear gloves to avoid any contamination from the tick. Apply antiseptic ointment to the bite area after the removal to help avoid infection.