Do Not Panic!!
That is the first step in handling ticks on your dog. When you panic, you can make a mistake and harm your pet accidentally. Ticks on dogs are not the end of the world as it happens every day around the world.
When you spot a tick on your pet, stay calm, and remember the information we are about to tell you in this article. Make sure you take your time in handling the tick removal as you do not want to hurt your pet during this process.
What do you know about using Brewer’s Yeast for dogs ticks? Click here to learn more.
Should I Take My Dog to The Vet For A Tick?
You can and sometimes it might be necessary to do so. The tick can attach itself to a very tender and difficult spot on your pet. When they do, that makes it difficult to remove without sedating your dog or using special tools.
In most cases, you would not need to take your dog to the vet to remove the tick. If you remove it before 24 hours are up chances are the tick did not transmit any germs or diseases.
However, if you spotted it after 24 hours, which is hard to determine at times, you should take your dog to the vet and let them treat the tick bite. Most dogs do not show any sign of infection and only a blood test will tell you if they are sick or not.
That blood test can only be done by a vet. It is up to your judgment or not if you will take your dog to a vet or not. But many dogs do get infected with all sorts of diseases so it would not hurt to be cautious.
Treating your dog early will protect its health and longevity.
How To Remove a Tick Safely
There are different methods and tools you can use to do this task. The following instructions are some of the best steps to follow. But you are free to find other methods that will work best for you and the type of dog you own.
Step 1: The best tool to use to remove ticks are tweezers. There are other tools you can use but these are also the easiest.
Step 2: Grab the tick as close to its mouth as possible. This will be right next to your dog’s skin. It is the mouth that is embedded into your pet and if you grab higher up you could squeeze some germs, etc., into your dog.
Or you may tear the tick in half and leave some of it inside your dog.
Step 3: Gently but firmly pull the tick straight out. Do not try to twist your motion because you could tear the tick apart.
Step 4: Do not rush step #3. Take your time as being in a hurry can tear the tick apart and leave some of it behind in your dog.
Step 5: If the tick does not want to come out, then leave it there and take your pet to your vet. Let the experts remove it safely. The vet can also apply the right medication to stop any infection from taking place.
Step 6: Put some medication on the skin of your dog to prevent any infection from taking place. Or you can wash him or her with some antibacterial soap.
What Do Ticks on Dogs Look Like ? Click here to find out.
What Not to Do When Removing a Tick
There are different DIY methods that people have used over the generations. Some may be okay, and others are not so okay. The following is a short list telling you what not to do as there may be some harmful side effects to their use.
- Do not dig around the skin to remove all of the tick. This can cause your dog some pain, open up a wider wound, and cause more infections to take place
- If some of the tick is left inside, let nature do the work. The skin or body of the dog will expel the partial tick in due time. Don’t try to remove it yourself
- Avoid using Vaseline or petroleum jelly. These products do not work as tick removal agents.
- Avoid using gas, rubbing alcohol, nail polish, or even matches to remove the tick. They are not effective tools to use
- Do not try to burn the tick out as you may burn your dog at the same time
What Happens If You Don’t Remove a Tick from a Dog? Click here to learn more.
Some Final Words
The best thing to do when you see your dog with a tick is to calmly lead your dog to a spot where you can work without distraction. Use the right tools to remove the creature and then disinfect the area.
If the tick is too difficult to remove, then take your dog to your vet and let him or her handle the job.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.