Removing Ticks from Dog

bob2oo7

Hi all

My red setter goes on lots of outdoor walks around fields and mountains and as a result of this, he tends to get a few ticks

What is the best way of removing these? I tried some different things, tweezers, vasaline, alcohol, none of which I would say were a smooth operation.... Any advice?

Thanks in advance!

ballinue

I have seen it done with a cigarette by holding the hot end of the cigarette
very close to the end of the tick, that protrudes from the dog, the tick releases its grip on the dog and can be removed without leaving any parts of it in the dog you have to do it slowly to make sure it has released, if you pull too fast it may not have backed off and you will leave its head still in the dog.

TechnoPool

main concern is that you get all of it away in one go and to make sure it does regurgitate back into the dog

dvet

WEAR gloves.... ticks can transmit some serious diseases to humans.. you don't want to be the one to prove this rule! You can get disposable plastic gloves in your pharmacy/vets/similar, could be worth it if you do this a lot...

This is one other way of removing ticks: it sounds crazy but bear with me! Put your gloved fingertip on the tick's bum, and make it go in circling motions around and around and around, then after a minute or so the tick gets 'dizzy', releases it's grip on the dog, and climbs out. It's important to catch it and kill it tho (same goes for the flame/cigarette lighter trick) - flush it down the toilet or similar.

Use Frontline or any product licensed against ticks (read the label to see) on all your dogs is a good idea too, especially if they're picking up so many.

beanie.

Use an anti tick treatment if it's a regular problem. You can also get a tick remover, I've seen them in my vets and in a pet shop.

dvet

ballinue wrote: »

I have seen it done with a cigarette by holding the hot end of the cigarette
very close to the end of the tick, that protrudes from the dog, the tick releases its grip on the dog and can be removed without leaving any parts of it in the dog you have to do it slowly to make sure it has released, if you pull too fast it may not have backed off and you will leave its head still in the dog.

A safer way of doing this is to heat the sharp end of your tweezers in the flame of the cigarette lighter/similar and use that to grab the tick near to it's head (careful not to burn your dog!). After a few seconds the tick should let go and you can pluck it out carefully.

Discodog

I use some tweezers that you can get from Maplin. They are the perfect shape to get the head without squashing the body & they have a handy LED light to illuminate into dense fur.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=476655

verywell

My dog had a tick not so long ago and I managed to kill it but could not get it out. I burnt it with a lighter. Anyway the vet told me (after he managed to remove it in about a nano second ) that alcohol is the best way to get them out. That they hate alcohol and will fall out.

shinikins

Dvet's method is the simplest if your not too good with removing ticks, it does work!! I wouldn't recommend using an ordinary tweezers if your not confident as the tick can very easily be "broken" leaving the head in the dogs skin, and infection can set in. The tick tweezer Beanie posted is pretty good too, very straightforward!

Discodog

The danger with the tick lifter is that you can end up with it between the head & body. Then it leaves the head behind. You can buy tick removal liquids/sprays. There is also a method where you wiggle the tick. I am dying to try this next time:

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-remove-a-tick/

dvet

Discodog wrote: »

The danger with the tick lifter is that you can end up with it between the head & body. Then it leaves the head behind. You can buy tick removal liquids/sprays. There is also a method where you wiggle the tick. I am dying to try this next time:

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-remove-a-tick/

Yeah, that's the method I was on about! Glad other people have heard of it and I'm not the only crazy tick-wiggler!

Discodog

dvet wrote: »

Yeah, that's the method I was on about! Glad other people have heard of it and I'm not the only crazy tick-wiggler!

So it definitely works ?. Good job that you didn't make a typing error. Tick wiggling isn't something to discuss after a few drinks !.

dvet

Discodog wrote: »

So it definitely works ?. Good job that you didn't make a typing error. Tick wiggling isn't something to discuss after a few drinks !.

Haha I was just thinking that when I typed it out! :P In work would normally use a small haemostats (like delicate curved tweezers) but have tried this at home with my own dogs, and was surprised to see it's not as crazy as it sounds! Takes a minute or 2 tho

shinikins

Discodog wrote: »

The danger with the tick lifter is that you can end up with it between the head & body. Then it leaves the head behind.

Thats true, but i've seen more people come into the practise after trying to tweeze ticks out and they end up crushing the tick or removing only the body. I've always used the same method as Dvet(we call it tickling lol) and never had a problem.

Just remembered my grandmother used to dab homemade Poítín on any ticks that the dog picked up, never failed, but i don't think many people have a bottle of that lying around nowadays!!:)

bob2oo7

dvet wrote: »

Yeah, that's the method I was on about! Glad other people have heard of it and I'm not the only crazy tick-wiggler!

Just did this and it worked a threat!!

Circular motion for about 90 seconds and it just fell out!!

Brilliant, thanks a million for all the replies