Best way to remove ticks from dogs from home- The best online guide
The Best Way to Remove Ticks from Dogs and Puppies…A Complete Guide…
The best way to remove ticks from dogs is by getting hold of the entire tick and removing the whole of the body and head. Many people make the mistake of smearing vaseline, alcohol or anything else that they may have been told weakens the grip that the parasite has on their dog’s skin. But each of these techniques is technically wrong.
The main reason we do NOT advocate the use of these methods is because it increases the chance of the parasite regurgitating their last meal back into the blood stream. This can of course be dangerous if the last meal was from another animal that is infected with a dangerous health condition such as Lyme disease. Because if the last host had this illness there is of course a high risk of this illness being transmitted to your pooch.
If your dog has been outside and running through long grass and undergrowth it is always a good idea to check your dog’s coat thoroughly. Start by running a brush through the fur starting from the head, neck and then running the brush along the body and down the legs separating the fur as you go.
This is a great method to utilise to locate the parasite before they have gorged and increased in size. Once the tick has started feeding they are of course far easier to notice as they can increase to the size of a pea before dropping off. Of course it is far better to remove the ticks before they have fed as this automatically eliminates the possibility of diseases being transmitted and passed on to your pooch.
So what is the best way to remove ticks from dogs…?
Well in nutshell we feel the best method is either by using a pair of Tweezers or Tick Twister.
Although some people don’t like using tweezers because they can be a little tricky to use we feel that used properly they are on a par with the Tick Twister (talked about in detail below).
Tweezers – To use Tweezers you should firstly you should place the tweezers as close to the skin as possible. Gently lay the flat end of the tweezers around the tick – very near but without pinching the skin. Make sure that you have the whole tick, head and legs etc and then pull gently pull upwards. Do not grab the tick by it’s abdomen as this may cause it to burst causing it’s last feed and any disease to be passed into your dog or puppies blood stream.
The tick twister is a great tool and available from most pet stores. This handy device comes in different sizes depending on the size of the tick and it can be used on dogs other pets and even humans – a great home tick removal tool.
You can also purchase tick extractors that come in different sizes and as opposed to tweezers they have been designed purely for home tick removal. They also come in different sizes depending on the size of the tick and how long it has been feeding, so a pretty useful tool for using if your pooch regularly gets infested.
Tick extractors and the twister have a straight handle with two finger like forks that stick out at a right angle. This is used to slide the two fingers along the skin which will then enclose the black legs, abdomen and head of the parasite. You then simply gently twist and pull the tick out.
We have used it and it does work – quite a handy little tool – which does not leave the head in.
The best way to stop you, your dog, puppy or other pets from getting ticks is to prevent them from attaching themselves in the first place. Of course you could lower the chances of your pooch contracting ticks by keeping him or her close to you i.e. on a leash but this does not completely eliminate the risk it just lowers the chances of your pooch from running in long grass or areas where there is a high risk of the parasites being present.
Although we do not consider it the best way to remove ticks from dogs there are natural methods or repellents utilised by some practitioners…
Lets start by the natural way…
- Supervise your dog, puppy or pets very closely when out for a walk or when they are playing in the yard.
- Regular grooming is a must as this can spot them when they are still a seed, seed ticks or larva are the early developmental stage in the tick life cycle.
- Cut the grass on a regular basis and remove any debris or high ground where the parasites can hide out.
You can also remove or avoid ticks in the first place by using a repellent…
Natural repellent like basil mixed with water and then sprayed on the yard can remove the parasite.
Advantix – is great at killing fleas and ticks and an added bonus is that its water proof.
Another great way to remove the parasite form your back yard is is by using a product called Eco Health Damminix Lyme Control Packs – these are left out in the yard which are designed to attract mice.
The mice then take the packs back to their nest which then releases a poison killing the ticks but leaving the mice unharmed. Although this is not the most natural alternative for killing the parasites as it may impact on the environment.
What about removing tiny ticks…? Seed ticks (also called larva) are about the size of a pin head (so quite hard to spot). Seed ticks find it quite hard to attach and cling to a host, consequently it is much easier to remove them. The best way to remove ticks from dogs when they are still ‘seeds’ is by simply placing some packaging tape or masking tape over the seeds and then removing the tape with the seeds now stuck to the tape.
Ok so thats about it. We hope you have found our guide on the best way to remove ticks from dogs useful. Have a look on the right hand side of our page for more ‘Tick Busting’ tips.
Top ‘Tick Busting’ Tips…
1. Keep an eye out for a red bumpy rash that looks like a bullseye – this is often called a bullseye tick bite rash and is sometimes but not always a symptom of lyme disease.
2. Natural homeopathic practitioners consider the best way to remove ticks from dogs and puppies is through a tablet called Preparation-Z. This little known tablet contains a mixture of dried meat, minerals and vitamins that produces and exudes a secretion through the skin that naturally repels ticks.
3. Tick repellent collars are considered very unhealthy by many experts. The reason for this is due to the fact that the chemicals used in the collars are passed into the blood stream which can then reach the metabolic pathways leading to problems as the chemicals pass around the body. There is some evidence that the chemicals in the collars can lead to hair loss and associated itching.
4. Some homeopathic practitioners recommend Formula-Z tablets for tick removal. If your pooch has become upset you could administer a natural Bach Flower remedy such as Crab Apple.
5. Make sure when you do start searching for ticks that you look in-between the paws as they can find some of the best places to hide.
Did you know…?
1. The bacteria from Ticks can cause a condition known as Rocky Mountain Fever and even Infectious Arthritis. This leads to swollen, inflamed and painful joints. The affected dog can also develop a high temperature.
2. As previously mentioned ticks can cause Lyme Disease. This is passed via the bacteria called Borrelia. Symptoms can include lethargy, pain and muscle weakness.
3. Ticks are Ectoparasites and can cause Babesiosis and Ehrlichiosis a nasty health condition.
4. When removing ticks from dogs it is vital that you remove the head from the dog’s body as this can lead to infection. Once you have removed the parasite you should clean the affected area with a sterile solution.
