Ticks are blood-sucking parasites that stick to a pet’s skin. They usually flourish in outdoor and unclean spaces. Moreover, they can also be transferred from one host to another through physical contact. Ticks are harmful to dogs and can be the possible carriers of many harmful diseases that might prove fatal. Furthermore, they also suck blood and irritate your dog. Therefore, it is essential to remove dog ticks and prevent their growth in future. But, how to remove a tick from a dog? Read on further to know more.
How to Remove a Tick from a Dog?
Ticks are relatively easy to be removed. But one needs the right product and approach to remove the blood-sucking parasites from the dog.
Getting Rid of Ticks: Things Required
1. Clean gloves
2. Tweezers
3. Tick remover
4. Disinfectant to clean dog’s wounds
5. Antiseptic cream to be used on the spot from where the tick was removed
6. Isopropyl alcohol for killing the tick
Where to Look for Dog Ticks?
1. Near and around the face
2. Near and around their neck
3. Insides and near their ears
4. Near and around paws
Step-by-Step process to Remove Ticks on Dogs
Worried about how to get tick off dog? You don’t need to worry, here are the detailed steps for getting rid of ticks from canines:
Prepare for the Process
Buy a tick removal tool or quality tweezers from the market. The tweezers should have a narrow mouth instead of a big one to reach closer to the dog’s skin. Always wear a set of clean gloves while using the tick remover for dogs. Ticks are infectious creatures and can be carriers of many harmful diseases.
Distract your Dog With Dog Treats
Provide some dog cookies and treats to keep your fur buddy occupied while you are in the process. If the dog moves too much or runs away, there are chances of infection due to remnants of tick left behind due to an incomplete process.
Find the Embedded Tick
Go through your dog’s fur properly to determine the location of embedded ticks. Once you are sure about the spots, use one hand to remove and flatten the dog’s fur on one side while using the other to remove the tick.
Use the Tools to Remove the Tick on Dog Skin
Ticks are parasites that stick to the surface of a dog. They stick their mouth under the skin of the dog. Therefore be calm and meticulous while using any tool to remove ticks from your pet’s skin. Don’t apply too much pressure or kill the tick. Rather be quick in grabbing and removing a tick from a dog’s body without leaving any tick’s parts on the dog’s body. This is the best way to remove a tick from a dog
Tweezer
Use the tweezer and grab the tick closest to the dog’s skin. You should grab the base of the tick where it is stuck with the dog. Don’t apply too much pressure, or you may kill the tick. Carefully pull the embedded tick on dog with the help of a tweezer. Maintain a meticulous and steady speed and pull the tick out of the dog’s skin without changing the motion.
Tick Removal Tool
The tick remover has a hook-shaped end to capture the tick’s body. The hook-shaped ending has to be pressed against the dog’s skin. The notch should be positioned under the tick’s body, grabbing it. Rather than jerking it upwards, slide the hook/notch and pull the tick away from the dog’s skin. You can move the notch to loosen the tick’s grip over the dog but don’t pull it away or upwards.
Double Check for Ticks
Examine the spots from where the tick has been removed. Check for all the possible locations where the tick can be found. If parts of the tick’s body still stick to your dog’s skin, try removing them through the tools without poking your dog. In case you are unable to do it, consult a vet.
What to Do After Removing a Tick?
- However, a question arises about the aftermath of removing a tick. Once you have removed the tick, take a picture of the tick. Taking pictures is an important step because it will help the veterinarian determine the type of infections and diseases the dog might suffer from because of the tick. This will be useful in choosing the required tick treatment for dogs.
- Dogs often tend to suffer from diseases caused by bacterial saliva injected into their body by ticks. These diseases can pose to be harmful. Therefore, clicking a picture of the tick on dogs and noting the date on which it was found and removed is essential for future treatments.
- Also, to remove the future infestations you can use the best puppy shampoo for fleas.
- Now, how to kill a tick on a dog? Put the tick in a jar filled with isopropyl alcohol with a lid on it. The isopropyl alcohol kills the tick without any possibility of infection.
- Finally, dispose of the gloves and wash your hands with a disinfectant. Additionally, clean your tick removal tools with isopropyl alcohol. Clean the wounds and spots on your dog and apply an antiseptic cream to heal them. If the wounds take too long to heal or there is an apparent infection or swelling on the spots, you should consult a vet.
Conclusion
You must also take steps to prevent any future tick infestation on your dog. What to do after removing a tick? Keep a routine check on the ticks by going through the dog’s fur now and then. Have a clean outdoor and indoor space to prevent the growth of ticks. Keep your lawns clean and well-mowed. Wash your canine buddy with pesticide and tick shampoo for dogs and comb it regularly to remove dirt and foreign bodies. It is also essential to keep the mattresses clean on which your dog sleeps.