Who doesn’t ruv summer? Summer means sunshine, gallivanting in nature, and all the grilled meats you can handle. Unfortunately, it can also mean lots and lots of ticks fur dogs and their humans. Of course, pet pawrents know how important preventives are, but even the best of the best can’t guarantee floofs will stay tick-free this season. If pup happens to pick up a tick or two while she’s ‘sploring, read on to sniff out how to remove a tick from a dog safely.
How to Check for Ticks on Dogs
If pupper likes spending time in areas ticks love to be (the cabin, the woods, tall grasses, you know…nature), then a tick check should be part of your daily routine. Give fluffer full-body pets—checking torso, armpits, between toes, inside ears, etc. If you feel a bump, learn how to tell if it’s a tick bite.
What to Do If You Find a Tick on Your Dog
- Don’t panic. You’ve got this!
- Put gloves on before attempting to remove the tick. Ticks can transmit diseases to humans too, so you’ll wanna protect your skin.
- If you’re using a tick remover like this one, gently press the remover against your dog’s skin and slide the notch of the remover under the tick. Continue sliding the remover until the tick is caught in the smallest end of the remover and pulled free. Yessss!
- If you’re using tweezers, carefully grab the tick’s body as close to your dog’s skin as possible, but be careful not to catch the skin itself. Pull the tick off in a straight, steady motion and make sure you don’t leave any part of the tick behind: anything left could result in an infection. (Ruff.)
- Drop the tick into a container filled with isopropyl alcohol. The alcohol will kill the tick, but this allows you to keep the tick as evidence. If your pup shows signs of illness, you can bring the tick to the vet to be tested for tick-borne diseases that could’ve been passed on.
- Clean your dog’s skin and any tools you used with antiseptic.
- Wash your hands. Praise and treat your dog. Have a glass of wine. That was stressful.
Here’s a step-by-step video:
Featured photo: Cam Bowers
Do you have tips on how to remove a tick from a dog safely? Woof at us in the comments and tag @SidewalkDog to let us know your favorite ways to treat your pups for being so brave!
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