How to Remove a Tick from Your Pet

As the summertime weather starts to rear its head, mosquitoes and ticks begin to make their way out into the open. When left exposed, pets become more susceptible to tick bites during these months. Ticks are not only dangerous to humans, they also pose a threat to your pets as well. Ticks can transmit diseases to animals just like they can to humans. For this reason, taking extra care to remove any ticks from your pet’s fur right away is an important step to keeping them healthy. There are some misconceptions about tick removal, but the process is fairly simple. Here is what you need to know about how to remove a tick from your pet.

Locate the Tick

First, you’ll need to find the tick. If your pet is outside often, their chances of bringing in a passenger tick increases.  Ensuring that you are checking everywhere from paws to ears is a best practice. Daily checks help to ensure that new ticks haven’t jumped on and embedded themselves in their fur.

Use the Right Tools

Once you have located the tick, find the right tools to ensure that you are removing a tick in the proper way. First, use a set of tweezers that have fine points to get as close to the skin of your pet as possible. This will help in removing the entire tick without tearing it. Since tearing of the tick can spread the infection on the skin, you need to be careful to remove all of it. Some people use a hook made specifically for tick removal. You can often find these hooks at your local pet store.

Remove it Slowly

After you have gotten your tools and located the tick, use the tweezers or hook to remove the tick by working slowly. With tweezers, you want to grasp the tick with the tips, making sure to grasp as close to the skin as you possibly can. Then, move very slowly, pulling straight up to prevent the tick from tearing or breaking. Those that use a removal hook should twist the hook slowly to remove the ticks.

Tips to Remember

After you remove the tick, be sure to wash your own hands with a disinfectant cleaner. Also, clean the spot where they tick was embedded on your pet by using a bit of rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball or cotton swab. Cleaning your tools can help avoid the spread of infections as well. As a warning, never remove a tick with your hands as your fingers can squeeze the tick thus releasing any infection into the body of your furry friend.

As always, consult your veterinarian with matters involving the health of your pet.

For more information about how to remove a tick from your pet or general questions you can contact:

Christi Phillips, CPDT with Posh Paws Pet Care, LLC

843.900.0438

Visit our website at PoshPawsPetCareSC.com

Or send us a note from our contact page here.