After finding a tick on my own dog yesterday, I thought I'd share some information about ticks & how to remove them, especially as some of you m ay be first time owners too. This information can also be applied to cats & humans, as ticks are really not fussy with who they latch onto!!
For my clients, I check your dogs on every walk but sometimes ticks can take time to show so please also check your dogs for ticks daily. If you feel unsure about anything, please feel free to drop me a message and I'll be happy to go through it with you, I've removed many ticks from both my cats & dog (luckily not from a human yet!)
During warmer seasons, check your dog for ticks daily. They can feel like a small bump in your dog's fur and the area may look irritated. Your dog can get ticks even when on preventative treatment so checking is vital.
Ticks like to hide in the following places:
-Under the collar
-Near eyelids
-Inside ears
-Between toes
-'Private areas'
Use a tick removal tool, avoid tearing the tick and leaving the ticks head in the dog's skin, this will avoid spreading possible infections into the bite area.
Spread your dog's fur, grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible. Very gently, pull straight upward, in a slow, steady motion. If you do tear the tick and the head is left in the dog's skin, don't panic and book a vets appointment, where they will be able to safely remove the tick's remains. Once you have the full tick removed, put the tick in a sealed container of bleach, rubbing alcohol or vinegar. DO NOT pour the tick down the drain or put them in water, they can survive in water. Some ticks can carry Lyme disease so after removing the tick look out for these symptoms in your dog: Fever -Fatigue -Lameness -Loss of appetite -Joint swelling -Call your vet immediately if you notice any of these symptoms
Thank you for reading!
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