Pet Health - Tics

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My dog has a huge live tic stuck in his head from our holiday trip, and my vet is closed. Does anyone know how to remove them? It's really bothering him and I know they're a bit dangerous.

Maybe you could consult a vet who is online at present.

Or go to a dog-fancy forum and find a thread which talks about getting rid of ticks

(in case nobody here knows how to get rid of a tick).

Maybe giving your dog a bath?

Have you actually seen the tick? If you can see the tick, I have read that getting a pair of tweezers to extract the tick helps.

Depending where it is, some olive oil (Not if near eyes) sometimes works if my memory surves me correctly. Pulling them off with tweezers is not ideal as the ticks mouth will break off in the skin and cause an infection. Olive oil will make the tick gasp so it can then be removed. Maybe cooking oil? Don't do near dogs eyes.

Use rubbing alcohol. Then remove the tick with tweezers.

You must make sure the whole tick goes off your dog's body.

The Centers for Disease Control recommend This Method (link to webpage).

My GF has removed loads of ticks from herself and the dog , her method is with her hand , she tries to grab the tick as close to the skin as possible ( careful not to squish the bugger ) then twist the tick 360 degress or more anti-clockwise and it should let go and still be alive. Don't let go of it once it's out of the dog they have a habit of disappearing.

Thank you so much everyone. I used olive oil but it didn't let go, then tweezers with peroxide and rubbing alcohol. The thing was huge and intact with legs moving and what looked like a face, so I think I got it all but my dog had already developed infection. I shaved the area and spent quite a while cleaning the site. There's still a lump so I don't know if that is more tic inside, or more infection.

Off to the vet tomorrow.

Hugs to everyone. Thanks so much.

I think your dog will be okay, Isabella.

I'm glad he's getting treatment.

Thanks!

He started to act unwell on Sunday, but I couldn't find the cause. I thought it might have been an ear infection but he wasn't doing his normal ear infection cues. I feel terrible because it must have been there at least three days, if it happened Sunday. I brushed him yesterday but don't know how I missed it despite his long fur. It was HUGE.

I'm very upset with myself.

Don't worry.

The method described by kaftiekortie is the method I generally use. I pour a little rubbing alcohol on the tick. That makes the tick a little groggy. Then I take a pair of sharp tweezers and very very slowly pull on the tick without releasing the hold. After about 30 seconds the tick will release its hold and remove itself from the dog. Then I kill the tick by placing it in a small jar and closing the lid.

I really hate ticks. I am not squeamish. And I have very hard fingernails. So sometimes I will remove the ticks with my finger. The main point is that you must do this slowly, otherwise the tick's head might remain under the skin of the dog and cause an infection.

Another method is to do nothing. A tick will drink the dogs blood and ballon out into a round ball. When it has had its fill, it will generally fall off the dog onto the ground.

Thanks Jimmy.

I've frightened myself by reading all the possible complications of a tick bite. I'll be off to the vet asap to have his wound checked and a blood test done because there's definitely infection despite the fact I removed the whole thing.

Should I assume I'm overreacting with worry?

When my parents used to keep goats we would have a purple spray which we would spray on any wounds to prevent them from going bad.

I wouldn't worry too much. When I get bitten by ticks after I remove them the area still itches for about a week or two and a small lump will sometimes occur.

At the vet, you can order a chewable tablet Bravecto (Fluralaner) that will protect your dog from ticks for about 3 months. It basically kills any ticks that get on your dog. It is a type of prescription medicine for dogs.

Last edited by jimmy m on 13 Jun 2019, 12:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Ticks are everywhere here,I use Advecta 3 topical drops.
Your dog is probably fine,I’ve found ticks even in the winter on my dogs.If the tick is burrowed in too far to remove without snapping the head off I put a drop of ear mite medicine on it and it dries up and dies.