Dogs
Removing Ticks
If you have found a tick on your dog, what should you do. Here are some tips.
Do
Call your vet for advice, or take the dog to them down to remove it, if you don’t feel comfortable.
Don’t
Remove a tick from around the eyes, inside the ears or mouth yourself – consult a vet instead.
Do
Use tweezers or ideally a tick hook/twister.
Don’t
Use your fingers or squeeze the abdomen of the tick. This can squeeze more toxins into your dog.
Do
Grasp it as close to the skin as possible, and twist clockwise. Pull gently but firmly, with a consistent pressure.
Don’t
Apply any home remedies such as Vaseline or methylated spirits. They may kill the tick, but over a number of hours, and it will inject more poison as it dies.
Do
Kill the tick after removing. Putting it still alive in the bin allows it the chance to crawl back out and attach again. They are surprisingly resilient. If you are worried and would like to take your dog to the vet, kill the tick and put it inside a small zip lock plastic bag. Take the bag to the vet so that they can identify the tick.