| Finding and Removing Ticks from Your Dog
To search for ticks on your dog, run your hands
all over the body, paying close attention to the
ears neck, skin folds and other crevices. You may
prefer to wear latex gloves. Closely examine any
raised areas closely by parting the hair, making
sure you are in a very well-lit area (you can even
use a flashlight). Depending on species and life
stage, a tick may be as small as a pencil point
or as large as a lima bean (when engorged). If
you live in an area where ticks are prevalent, or
your dog spends a lot of time in high grasses or
wooded areas, you should check for ticks once
or twice a day. If you find an embedded tick, be
sure to remove it promptly. Here's how:
1. Wear latex gloves to protect yourself. Use
a pair of tweezers or a specially-designed tick
removal tool to grasp the tick at the point of
attachment. This should be done as close to the
skin as possible.
2. Be very careful not to squeeze the body of
the tick, as this may cause bacteria and disease
containing materials to be injected into the site.
3. Pull the tick straight out from the skin slowly
and steadily (without twisting or turning). Some
of your dog's skin may come off with the tick,
but this is normal. If bleeding occurs, apply light
pressure to the area.
4. Once removed, the tick should be handled
carefully. While some people prefer to flush
ticks down the toilet, saving the tick for further
identification is a good idea. Place the tick in a
small airtight container (like a pill vial or jar).
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You may wish to add some rubbing alcohol
to the container. Label the container with the
date and store in case future illness occurs, as
identification may become necessary.
5. If part of the tick's head still appears to be
embedded, use the tweezers to gently pull it
out. If some of the head cannot be removed,
do not become alarmed. This should fall off
eventually and rarely causes complications.
6. After tick removal, clean your dog's skin at
the bite area with mild soap and water. Watch
this spot for several days in case of further
irritation or infection. If the area does not clear
up in a few days, contact your veterinarian.
There are really no shortcuts that can make a
tick release itself from its host – a tick will not
voluntarily detach until its meal is complete. DO
NOT apply hot matches, nail polish, petroleum
jelly, alcohol or other chemicals to the site. These
methods are not affective and can actually be
harmful to your dog.
Tick Prevention for Dogs
The best way to protect your dog from the
hazards of ticks is to keep them from attaching
to your dog in the first place. As stated earlier,
routine checks should be done to search for ticks
on your dog. Finding them before they attach
is helpful, but this is not the most accurate
method of prevention. To reduce the number of
ticks hiding out in your yard, keep grass mowed
and plants neatly trimmed. You may also choose
to treat outdoor areas with pesticides, but be
sure to use a substance that is safe for dogs and
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