removing ticks - Page 2

I don't make a big to-do of removing ticks.  Can you not even pet this dog? Usually I just pet my dog and once my fingertips find the tick I pinch it out.

If you can't get the ticks out then stop trying, if you leave part of the tick in it could cause more problems that the tick itself.
If you kill the ticks they will fall out on there own.
If you don't know how to calm your animal get a pet rock.
Your boyfriend sounds like half of your problem, get him a pet rock also.

Try something called patience and calm yourself first.
 

Maybe I'm just grumpy, but really? A thread about taking a tick off? Step 1. Find the tick. Step 2. Remove it with your hands. Not hard. If you can't successfully remove the whole thing with your hands, then use what Botanica suggested. 

I'm with VKGSDs and Two Moons on this one. 

I don't put anything on the tick either.  I read it just encourages them to bite harder or dig deeper.  Just grab it as close to the skin as you can and pull it out.  We've pulled off I don't know how many and have never had any problems.  Some skin might come along and the dog will have a little scab but I've never left part of the tick behind (and we've found some that were very engorged, been there for days).  If you pull it off fast it's not really painful and doesn't require the dog to be held down.

Ticks also hate alcohol;  plain rubbing alcohol, put in spray bottle and spray down until tick backs out;  it also eventually kills them but when they back out grab with a comb and flush down toilet.....: ) yes seriously.  Nan

I'm not as grouchy as I am frustrated by various people at times.

I'm certain no one as more tick problems than me, it's just where I live.

I've used dips, things like frontline, and at times done without all together.

You can't man handle a dog or hold it down, that's the wrong way to go about anything, but you can take your time, calm your animal, and take care of business.

Mine doesn't like being held still either, but I manage.
I prefer my own fingers to ensure I do not crush or tear a tick to pieces.
Alcohol can burn and I would not use it on a dog, the dog will only be less inclined to cooperate the next time.

In my grandmothers day she would just put a drop of oil on the tick and it would fall off on it's own.

The Frontline by the way sometimes causes temporary skin problems on two of my dogs.
Dip is a mess and doesn't last as long, but at least it does kill them on contact.

I have more ticks around here than Davy Crockett and I'm forced to use Permethrin based spray's on my clothing to keep them off of me.




 

I hate to admit, but think I have mastered the tick removal technique. I use the tick nipper. It looks like tweezers with a magnifiying glass on them. What I do is put the nipper around the tick closest to the dogs skin as possible. I close the nipper only enough to hold the tick in place. I then spin (rotate) the nipper, The tick will naturally let go of its grip and the tick and the nipper will fall to the floor. I just did this (again) last night. The tick will probably still be alive and you can check to make sure its mouth is still intact. Wash the area with soap (disinfectant).

As for the dog. You all need to remain calm and try doing this without holding her. One of you can treat her with string cheese while the other works on the tick. The more stressed you are the more stressed the dog will be. Some dogs respond better with no restraint.

We have a saying over here that as you remove ticks, you should
only turn them anti-clockwise.  Implying that clockwise does not
work / leaves the head in ?  Frankly I never paid much attention to
which way I was turning a tick when I pulled it off a dog;  tended to
rely on their regular Frontline programme to hold most of them at bay,
anyhow.  Occasionally you'd get ticks still on particular dogs who
seemed prone to ticks attacking them for whatever reason, this IS
'sheep country' after all.  If Taz picks up any now (in my 'retirement')
I very much doubt if I will remember which way I'm turning it when I
pull it / them by hand, either !  Main thing is, as folk have said, to
make sure you get it all out, and keep the spot cleaned and under
observation afterwards, to make sure it doesn't get infected.  IME they
usually don't, despite all the dire warnings in vet articles & books.

Don't really get why OP finds sorting her dog out so difficult;  Taz is the
biggest wimp in the world when it comes to anything 'medical' but I can
get ticks off him & check his fur for other parasites without problems.  I
reckon the OP is so tense about it herself, she's conveying that to her
dog ?

as i said before, it is my boyfriend's dog. there were other issues making him upset with me and after we sorted that out and were both calm it was easy to get the ticks out. i have no problems with my own dogs....
this is his first dog and he gets frustrated over things that are not that big a deal to me.

 

I figured your boy friend was half the problem..lol

You could always let them gorge and then they'll pop off in your hand like ripe fruit on a tree, just be sure to destroy them.
Whatever damage that's done is done as soon as the tick enters the skin, if you can't prevent that I don't see the need to hurry.

I really love stepping on the big fat ones.......:)