How to remove dog tick?!?

N71

We're back from the vets, one tick and £50 lighter!

It was apparently a sheep tick, a beauty (if thats what takes your fancy). The vet removed it with his tick hook, then watched it crawl along his table, before squashing it to death!!!

While I was there, the dog also had an inoculation, got wormed and got flea treated!

He's 4 years old, but we've not had him long. He came from a friend, who got him from a friend, who got him from a rescue centre when he was two, so his past is a bit sketchy - so I thought it best to start from scratch with the vets and make sure he's protected.

The vet did offer to give me the hook for future use - but I don't think I could do it myself, it makes me feel queasy!

Thanks again everyone, for all your help.

Errata

If you're taking him to 'ticky' places to exercise, you may be spending quite a few £50 !

This brought back memories :rotfl:

I pull ticks off of horses and farm cats on a regular basis. You just have to give it a really sharp tug with your nails right down as close to the skin as possible, never left a head in yet.

Do feel a bit ill when they are large or on me. Yuch, I squish them with a brush if they are really big or my foot if they are smaller once they are off.

kipperman

Do remember that ticks only feed for 3 days or so, and then will fall off naturally - hopefully outside, but possibly on your kitchen floor. If you don't fancy just leaving it alone - then the tick hook is by far the best way of removal

hjb123

I have a springer spaniel too and over the late spring and all summer months it is awful for ticks. We use a pair of tweezers to pull the ticks off with, making sure you get as close to the skin as you can so you get all the tick. We have tried Frontline (which can be got from the vets) but it didnt seem to do the trick.

Froglet

Once rescued a hedghog,the poor thing was covered in them.Lost count after removing 50..........

But i did enjoy squishing them underfoot.

Took it to the vets and ended up injecting it myself as well for a week with antibiotics,as pretty weak.

It recovered though and i was happy to be able to release it back into the garden.

walwin

If you are in an area where there are a lot of ticks, you might be as well to use Frontline Spray. Where I used to walk my dog when we lived in Spain was terrible for ticks and I think I must have tried most things but the Frontline spray was definitely the best.
It's prescription only.

Davepeter

The best method that I have found for tick removal is the Trix Tick Remover device which comes from Sweden. This device has a lasso that securely grips around the head of the tick.

We use this on our dog as it is very easy to use and much more reliable than hooks which reportedly damage the tick on removal. If you have used a tick hook before, on a patient that doesnt want a tick removed you will know how difficult it is!

Recommended 10 out of 10 never failed!

SuiDreams

We found a tick on our dog last night sort of a grey colour, we removed it by twisting off with a tick hook, best way according to Vet. Dog is front lined, but Frontline takes 48hrs for the tick to die and fall off. Also Frontline only works on ticks for 4 weeks after application.

Eels100

PLEASE don't cover ticks with vaseline/surgical spirit/any other crazy stuff, and NEVER squeeze the body when removing. These methods increase the likelihood of the tick regurgitating some of its blood meal back into the animal and thereby vastly increases the risk of infection such as Lyme's disease(much more significant than the minor local irritation if you leave the head behind).

The best kind of remover is an "O'Tom" tick hook - from the vet. For dogs the best product to prevent ticks attaching is called Advantix - again, from the vet.

See this link:http://http://www.britishspiders.org.uk/html/bas.php?page=faq&faq=34

PLEASE do NOT cover them in weird substances, it can cause much more serious problems!

alfiedog_2

Our dog has had a few ticks on him today too. Got them off with a tick twister hook. He had some a few months ago too, the first ones we had ever seen on him in 4 years. Does anyone know what sort of places are likely to harbour these little pests?