Dog Tick Removal

 Some species of ticks carry Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and a number of other dangerous tick-borne diseases. Therefore ticks should be removed from your dog immediately.

You should also consider calling your veterinarian to find out if Lyme Disease vaccine is available.  Furthermore, be prepared to take the removed tick to your vet for identification.

Contrary to popular belief, Vaseline, alcohol, nail-polish, or glowing match should NOT be used for removing ticks.

Once you've found the tick:

• Pull the surrounding hairs away from the ticks body.
• Use tweezers or commercial tick removal aids and grasp the tick as close to the buried head as you can possibly get.
• Do not squeeze, but pull gently up and away from the dog, slowly to be sure not to break off the head of the tick. The tick should not be crushed in the process
• Toss tick in toilet and flush.
• After removal, the bitten area and the tool used to remove the tick should be cleaned with antiseptic.
• Wash your hands with anti-bacterial soap.

If you discover that a piece of tick is still embedded in your dog's skin, seek veterinary care immediately. A dangerous infection could result.

Related articles: Dog Ticks, Tick Removal, Tick Pictures.