ticks on doggie

[tazzy65]

what is the best way to remove ticks on dogs ?

my dog had a huge one, it has now fallen off and left what looks like its mouth in my dogs neck !

[NorksAreMessy]

Smother the area in Vaseline, cover it completely. Reapply whenever it rubs off
Give your dog whatever flea/tick medicine you usually give them.

Don't faff about with tweezers etc, you could really hurt the pooch.

It won't take long to shrivel up the tick

[PorkyandBess]

You can get a special tool that slides over the tick and then you twist it to remove it entirely.

Not an expert but leaving a bit of it behind is not good; you may need to get it removed/looked at.

[YakkaSkink]

Next time, do it as soon as you find the tick. Use long pointy forceps (not ordinary tweezers), hold them parallel against the dog's skin so you're not stabbing the dog, grasp the tick as near the head as you can and pull steadily and firmly away from the dog's body. It should all come out if you're lucky but if it doesn't the dog might end up with a small infection that looks like a spot with some redness and/or a small amount of pus (like for any small foreign body) and the head should come out after a day or two with that.

It's better to get the tick out this way because the risk of Lyme disease comes from the tick regurgitating at the end of the feed, or it is likely happen if you do anything to squeeze the tick's body or otherwise bother it. The problem with using Vaseline etc. to suffocate the tick is that it can finish feeding and regurgitate while you're trying to do it - so better to pull it out and risk the head staying behind as it will come out by itself soon enough anyway. I left a head behind on my pup's neck last week (bleurgh!) and it's out now and looking fine.

[Beamur]

The tool thing is great - really easy to use and works even on tiny ones.
www.amazon.co.uk/OTOM-TICK-TWISTER-pack-2/dp/B004M5O9TW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1343493478&sr=8-2&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[poachedeggs]

Norks (it's ohbugrit, tiara woman :) how are you, lovely lady?) don't use anything to smother a tick, it's not safe

www.bada-uk.org/defence/removal/indextickremoval.php

[NorksAreMessy]

poached I bow to your superior knowledge and apologies for giving duff info.
My vet gave me the info, I passed it on, but we are not in a particularly Lyme-y area.

Listen to poached she is the expert.
I will change my policy henceforth and apologies to all :(

[poachedeggs]

Expert not quite, just live in tick central and know people who have had Lyme disease. It's not nice. Your vet needs a slap a slap on the wrist!

Hope you are well Norks :) I am paying it forward x

[NorksAreMessy]

Everybody else has wandered off anyway?
All fine, have moved house again, but will stay still for a bit now.
What have you been paying? (nosy and want to hear your good deeds)

[poachedeggs]

Nothing terribly exciting I'm afraid. I won a competition for a hotel stay in London, so I gave it to my mum's friend who needed a break. And (this is really nothing special) I set up a friend with baby things when her seasonal job fell through just as she found out she was pregnant. I would have passed them on anyway but she really needed them so they went to the right place.

Your kindness has definitely made me think about ways I can help other people more though. I was and still am really touched :)

[NorksAreMessy]

TOTALLY WONDERFUL.

I have just woken up and seen this and you have started my day with a little tear in my eye and so much joy.
Thank you, you are brilliant. Let's keep going.
Have you read 'Join me'?

[poachedeggs]

Ah lovely! :)

I haven't read it, no - should I?

OP I'm sorry for the hijack!

[purplewithred]

I use one of those tick hook thingies - you need to check that what comes out has a black head and little legs (which may be waving at you) and then you need to 'Dispose of it' completely (I wrap them well in loo paper, stamp on them with a special tick-hating dance then flush).

Same if you get one on yourself. bleurgh, still have nightmares. And they pinch when the come out too.

[NorksAreMessy]

poached you have insipid me in a non-tick-related way and I am making a new tiara for another MumsNetter on a budget.

[poachedeggs]

Brilliant! She's very lucky indeed - they're beautiful! :)