Tick removal disaster…

[LorelaiVictoriaGilmore]

I spotted a tick on our dpup for the first time this evening. Mildly panicked. Grabbed some tweezers. Skim read a few articles about how to remove it. Pinned dpup between my legs… she’s an 8 month old springer and was not easy… grabbed the tick with the tweezers and pulled firmly.

Ok, first of all, it sort of popped and brown goo came out. I nearly threw up at that point. Then I swear I could see it’s legs moving after I got it out and I nearly threw up again. Now, I can still feel a lump under dpup’s skin where the tick was and I am worried I didn’t get the head. Apparently if the legs are wriggling when you pull it out, it means you did get the head (🤢🤢🤢) but then why is there still a lump? Dpup is sulking and I didn’t have any antiseptic so she also stinks of dh’s v. expensive whiskey which I doused her with for good measure after operating.

Is this a Sunday trip to the vet? Can it wait until Monday? Dh was just telling me he feels a bit like he’s been replaced by the dog… and now I’ve poured his whiskey over her head and am proposing to spend father’s day taking her to the vet…. Which I totally will do (because I do love her a bit more than dh!) but not if I don’t have to!

I am drinking the rest of the whiskey now, in case relevant….

Normally when we pull them out, they start crawling around like nothing has happened.

You need a tick hook, they are great and much easier than tweezers.
If you saw the legs wiggling there’s a good chance you did get it all, sometimes they leave a lump as the skin reacts to the bite. Personally I would think it would be fine to wait till Monday.

Buy a tick removal tool on Amazon. V cheap, a more pointy shaped kind of bent tweezer thing.

When I took my pup to the vet with this, the vet didn’t do anything, said he would be most likely fine but return if problems.

You should prob call the vet, see what they say. Ticks do vary from area to area. And get a tick med every 3 months like bravecto

Oh yes I get them out and then kill them by squashing but make sure they dont run away

It'll be absolutely fine. Our cats regularly get ticks and they often have a sore scab where the tick is removed. Get a tick remover tool, you hook it between the tick and the skin and twist it around until the tick comes out.

Have ordered tick hook from Amazon!

Tick was squeezed in the tweezers but am pretty sure I saw it’s legs moving around. But then I threw it in the bin… tweezers too… I wasn’t thinking very clearly!

Sounds like you got it out if the legs are wriggling. Best invest in a tick hook. They have two prongs which you slide either side of the tick and then twist. You can get them from the vet or online.

I don't think you need a Sunday vet - unless your dog seems unwell, which is unlikely. It's not unusual to have a small lump from a tick bite.

You can use a monthly parasite treatment like you do for fleas (we use a combined one).

I agree they're gross.

Was it still moving when you threw it in the bin?

Usually there will be a little lump where they have been, it doesn't always mean the head is still inside the skin.
I'm pretty sure I left a head in once. Just kept an eye on it, and dog was fine. Apparently it usually works its way out itself. The body expels it.
Next time, if you're using tweezers don't squeeze so hard. Clasp it gently as close to the skin as possible and very slowly pull the tick out. Apparently release their grasp. My aunt was told that by a sheep farmer when her collie got covered in them on farm land. Now that's what we do everytime and it works a treat.

We use bravecto every 3 mths
Supposed to kill ticks

Ticks wind their way into the skin, so if you grab them gently but firmly with the tweezers and twist anticlockwise, they'll 'unscrew'. The tick hooks are easier because you don't need to keep pressure on them as you turn them.