Bugger. Possible tick extraction fail...

[Spudlet]

Late last night, DH was tickling ddog and announced that he had found a tick. So he got the tick hook out and presented it to me (thanks dear), and we got the little bugger out. Trouble is, it was in a very ticklish spot so ddog was wiggling, and it was late and I was v tired (worked all weekend) and long story short, I thought I'd got the little sod but in the cold light of day I'm a bit worried that its head might have been left in there There's still a little lump where it was, but of course that might just be irritation from the bite... but I'm just not sure.

What should I be looking out for in these circumstances? And if it has been left in, how likely is it that it will be a vet job?

Am so annoyed with myself, I have removed literally hundreds of ticks over the years without a hitch, but I'm just not sure I did this one properly

I use tweezers and I.... sorry... have a good look at ticky when I've removed it. Wriggling legs and a tiny bit of dog skin in its mouth is a good sign you've got it all out! Did you look at the tick? My dog sometimes gets a bump under the skin after removal that I can feel through the fur. My daughter also had a bump when I removed one from her (yuck....)
I don't think ticks are so easy to squish, even with tweezers...in my experience of the post-removal squish...so hopefully you've got it

Also, I see a red dot on the skin of the dog/child when I've removed a tick. ..so if you can see that, I think you're good. I have a morbid fascination with ticks

If there is a black dot in the centre of the bump then likely you’ve left a bit in but a bump is quite normal especially if it’s had a good hold!

I take them out by hand, only because I’m totally confident I’ll get the whole thing out. Taught by an old school Vet many many years ago before tick removers were invented.

I always check to see if they are still alive when I’ve got them out, if they are then I have the whole thing.

I do small ones by hand...But if it's already a bit plump, I revert to tweezers

I use Vick’s on them if they’re where the dogs can’t lick themselves. Just smother the tick in Vick’s, leave for a couple of minutes then wipe them away.

Works great on kids too.

Thanks all. The legs were wiggling (I always look too!) so at the time I was pretty sure it was all out - it's just this morning I had a 'Waaaaait a minute. Was that head actually on?!' moment.

Will keep an eye on it - hopefully I did get it all!

To a PP you should never put anything on a tick as when it starts to suffocate it will regurgitate the blood it’s drawn out.
The risk of transfer any tick borne disease are increased if you do this.

Please please use a tick remover, no matter how good you are with fingers or tweezers. Any method that involves squeezing the tick as you remove it will potentially inject any diseases that may be in the tick into the dog. I am an old school vet myself!

I don't squeeze the tick when I remove with tweezers or hands....and tick removers are not available where I am!

If you're concerned about there being a bit left behind, you could try Epsom salts - soak a cotton pad in warm water and the salt, and hold it on the bump a few times a day. As long as it's not somewhere where the dog can easily lick it!

Tick removers are absolutely brilliant- how can such a simple gadget sort a tricky task? So clever.

Dpup had a tick on his head last week and as I didn’t have a tick remover I watched a YouTube video where one uses ones finger on or near the tick in circular motion until it lets go. Then with a piece of sellotape you put the tick on it and fold it over and it’s sealed in there. I put Betadine on the site for 24hrs but a week on he still has a lump. It’s not hot or oozing anything but is still there. Should I take him to the vet?