An easy way to remove ticks from a dog or cat

Little A

My dog had a tick today. So I pulled out my little tick removed which I onlt used once before - that tick was huge & probably ready to leave so it popped off.

Today, not so luckyas the tick in an akward sport, we couldn't get a grip.

So a goggled & decided to follow this advice -

locate the tick & place your finger ontop & rotate your finger in a fast circular motion. Apparently this makes the tick "dizzy". Do it for about 45-60 seconds & then just lift off the tick. It worked !!!

I'd be interested to know if it was a fluke or if it works for anyone else.

CreedonsDogDayc

I tried that before, but Im squeamish and put cling film over my finger (so i didnt have to make actual contact) and it didnt work for me.

I think it didnt work because the cling film stopped the friction, and the tick wasnt really making full circles.

I might try again next time without the cling film. Of get someone else to do it, I'm a wimp.

seamus

Little A wrote: »

locate the tick & place your finger ontop & rotate your finger in a fast circular motion. Apparently this makes the tick "dizzy". Do it for about 45-60 seconds & then just lift off the tick. It worked !!!

Hmm...I'd suspect that has more of an effect of simply breaking the tick's tendrils or whatever it is they use to grip onto the animal rather than making them "dizzy". This is why they're then easy to lift off. I wouldn't even know if ticks have a sense of balance like we have.

To be on the safe side, dab the affected area with antiseptic (savlon, etc) twice a day for about a week to ensure that there's no infection. Any part of the tick which is left inside the dog's skin will decay and be absorbed by your dog.

convert

I had never heard of that method before, but as mentioned above, it could just have had the effect of breaking off the tick's suckers rather than actually helping remove it cleanly.

If I'm removing ticks I just pull them straight out and have never had a problem leaving the suckers in the dog. A relative who was a vet showed me how to do it when I was really young and I've never had a problem with it. It's hard to explain how I do it, really, but you need to have a gentle but firm grasp of the tick and be very gentle with it until you're about to pull it out. When you're pulling out the tick you need to make sure you do it quite quickly so that the tick doesn't cling on tighter. As I said, it's hard to explain, but it works well for me. If you're in any doubt as to whether or not you managed to pull out the tick with all its suckers, it's best to put some disinfectant on the area.

CreedonsDogDayc

I've seen the spinning method on youtube, I just can't find the clip anywhere.

Basically, what I saw was they rotated the tick for about a minute and it pulled its head out and walked away. I think they just don't like the motion.

ncmc

Yuck, couldn't touch the tick, they are the grossest, freakiest things. I just use a tweezers, grab the tick close to the skin and twist slightly as I pull them out. Seems to work ok.

Another tip I heard (and it does work) is if you light a match, blow it out and then immediately press the hot tip into the tick. It kills the tick and it falls out itself. Obviously you have to be super careful that you don't burn the animal! But it is an option if you really are nervous about pulling them out.

Graces7

ncmc wrote: »

Yuck, couldn't touch the tick, they are the grossest, freakiest things. I just use a tweezers, grab the tick close to the skin and twist slightly as I pull them out. Seems to work ok.

Another tip I heard (and it does work) is if you light a match, blow it out and then immediately press the hot tip into the tick. It kills the tick and it falls out itself. Obviously you have to be super careful that you don't burn the animal! But it is an option if you really are nervous about pulling them out.

The match idea makes me laugh; imagine a cat standing for that!

My two are long haired:eek:

Tissue and fingers and just pull... I always mislay the tweezers so learned to do that. Satisfying feeling when it lets go..

duckysauce

you can get a tool online or any good pet shop that pulls them out in one go, if you try to get them with your fingers the head will stay in the animals skin and can get infected, twizers are good if you have a steady hand and good eye, clean part of skin tick was in after you pull it out

Graces7

duckysauce wrote: »

you can get a tool online or any good pet shop that pulls them out in one go, if you try to get them with your fingers the head will stay in the animals skin and can get infected, twizers are good if you have a steady hand and good eye, clean part of skin tick was in after you pull it out

No it won't... Pull is pull whether with tweezers or fingers.

All in one piece out they come.

I learned to do it when the tweezers went missing.. Done it so many times and never a head lost yet.... Only time I ever lost a head of a tick was when one bit me in a very awkward place.

And got that out easily enough then.

You can feel it is all out so easily. No use cleaning skin either; if there is poison it is already in.

duckysauce

Graces7 wrote: »

No it won't... Pull is pull whether with tweezers or fingers.

All in one piece out they come.

I learned to do it when the tweezers went missing.. Done it so many times and never a head lost yet.... Only time I ever lost a head of a tick was when one bit me in a very awkward place.

And got that out easily enough then.

You can feel it is all out so easily. No use cleaning skin either; if there is poison it is already in.

?

dont really get you , maybe you can pull them out magically , but other people including myself might not get the whole tick out, it might look like you get the whole tick out(its only the body) go back to your pet in a day or so the area biten will be raised and red, ie infected, it has happened a few times with my dog and part of the tick(the head) was left there, the vet told me to clean the mark where the tick was left, are you a vet ?

Graces7

duckysauce wrote: »

?

dont really get you , maybe you can pull them out magically , but other people including myself might not get the whole tick out might look like you get the whole tick out go back to your pet in a day or so the area will be raised and red, ie infected, it has happened a few times with my dog and part of the tick was left there, the vet told me to clean the mark where the tick was left are you a vet ?

duckysauce

:cool:

convert

I've always pulled them out with my fingers and I've never had a problem leaving the suckers in the cat/dog. Maybe it's because I've always done it that way, but I'd actually be more worried using a tweezers than my fingers to pull out the tick. I suppose it's just a case of each to their own; if it works for you then stick with it. If it doesn't, then look at changing method.

CrowdedHouse

ncmc wrote: »

Another tip I heard (and it does work) is if you light a match, blow it out and then immediately press the hot tip into the tick. It kills the tick and it falls out itself. Obviously you have to be super careful that you don't burn the animal! But it is an option if you really are nervous about pulling them out.

Actually this is similar to what my Dad(RIP) used to do, he used a lighted cigarette and brought the hot end to the tick, it fell out almost immediately. It should be said he always had very well behaved English Setters, if I tried that with the Lhasas there would be a tragedy !!
We were in Connemara in June and the dogs got an epidemic of them..even got one myself.

tman

Never had any problems with pulling them off dogs or cats no matter the size or awkward position... Just get a bit of tissue, get a good grip and twist clockwise while pulling at the same time

Justask

Why did i read this thread....????


I feel sick now!!

My grand dad always said put a bit of methylated spirits on a piece of cotton and it comes out.

:eek:

morganafay

I've never even seen a tick but hate them, I couldn't touch one!

meoklmrk91

Never seen a tick on my cat or my dog, didn't realise they were so common in Ireland.

Justask

morganafay wrote: »

I've never even seen a tick but hate them, I couldn't touch one!

Trust me they are the most disgusting things ever!!!!

My dog once had one my cat had 2..... My son got called to get them out quick!!!! didnt ask how he did it nor did i want to know

Biker3

My cocker spaniel gets ticks behind her ears. I got a tool called O'Tom off ebay and its brilliant.
You just hook it around the tick and twist and the whole tick comes out in one go.

Cant recommend it enough

Discodog

I bought some Rolson tweezers from Maplin. They are curved so they close on the tick without squashing the body. They also have a nifty little LED torch built in.

Be careful removing ticks with your fingers as sometimes the tick will have buried itself well into the flesh especially in soft tissue like around the eyes.

sligopark

CrowdedHouse wrote: »

Actually this is similar to what my Dad(RIP) used to do, he used a lighted cigarette and brought the hot end to the tick, it fell out almost immediately.

+1

Ptotty

You all seem to be talking about the cure but don't forget prevention is always better for the animal.
Grab a liquid vial from a chemist or vet before going to tick infested areas or during the warm seasons like spring to Autumn.
Like Advantix,etc

planetX

guys I've done extensive testing here - methylated spirits don't work, vaseline doesn't work, hot matches and cats don't mix. You've got to go for kill and pull 'em out. Though if it's a very well-fed tick there's a danger of it going pop:eek:, so I resort to chucking the cat outside till it falls off.
Now if someone knows an easy way to pick sticky burrs off a long-haired cat that would be great...:)

ncmc

Ptotty wrote: »

You all seem to be talking about the cure but don't forget prevention is always better for the animal.
Grab a liquid vial from a chemist or vet before going to tick infested areas or during the warm seasons like spring to Autumn.
Like Advantix,etc

I use a liquid (Frontline or similar) that kills fleas, ticks and worms once every 4-6 weeks. You put it on the back of their necks so you don't have to try and force them to swallow it. For the most part it works really well, but there always seems to be one tenacious fecker that manages to attach itself regardless! So it is useful to know how to check for them and remove them, even if you are using preventative measures.

Amberjack

I've heard that if you put a bit of alcohol on the tick, it relaxes them and makes it easier to pull them out. Sounds interesting, but have never tried it.