Do I need to remove the tick?

[duvetdrama]

My dog had a tick on her face but she has had tick treatment last month (3 month treatment). Should I still try to remove it? Surely it can't be harmful to her in terms of disease if she's been treated?

Oh gosh, hope that wasn’t a really expensive vet trip OP.

@Suzi888 oh probably! Was done and dusted in under a minute 🙄 Will know for next time!

@duvetdrama If it helps I once very nearly tried to remove a guinea pig nipple with a tick remover tool. Luckily I realised in time. Guinea pig was very indignant.

[quote Goldenhedgehogs]@duvetdrama If it helps I once very nearly tried to remove a guinea pig nipple with a tick remover tool. Luckily I realised in time. Guinea pig was very indignant.[/quote]
DH misidentified a skin tag or suchlike and tried to remove it... from himself though, not the dog.

@ErrolTheDragon we nearly did that with our 9 year old cocker. Thought she had a massive tick on her face, got the Tom o'tick remover ready to remove and though hang on, it's attached by more than just a head. Plus, it had some hair follicles and hairs on it. I think it would have been a bit painful had I not looked properly.

@Goldenhedgehogs

@PollyRoullson, can I ask why heat isn't recommended to shift a tick? I grew up where ticks were a regular feature of our dog's life, and my father routinely removed them using a lighted cigarette - the tick would fall straight off.

And to reassure you, I don't smoke and have a tick twister on my keyring.

@GrandmasCat

Yes, but do not pull it as the head may stay in. If you don’t have a proper tool you can rub it with a bit of tree oil so it detached itself and you can catch it.

Or like an old lady I met in the 70s who loved dogs so much she was always taking in strays… she touched the tick with a lighted cigarette so it detached, she could go through hundreds a day! But then, those were other times.

You must not do this. Ticks need to be removed with as little stress as possible, and with a firm grip so that they do not regurgitate their stomach contents as this hugely increases the risk of Lyme’s. I also remember people using cigarettes, and once a vet stabbing them with a syringe (!! ) which was not at all sensible, but Lyme’s was not anywhere near as widespread then.

There are videos on youtube that are helpful.

@GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman Any method like this will cause the tick to detach but before it detaches it will be distressed and force more venom into the person or animal.

We didn't know that in the past but we do now. That's why it's no longer advised even though it seemed to work. Because we now know that it's not just important to avoid the head getting stuck, but also to minimise distress to the tick to minimise the venom that gets into the host.

Of course once it's off you can distress it as much as you like :o squash it dead!

Where I live we have ticks with Lyme (try to get it off asap, check for red ring rash) and TBE, which there's no treatment for but a vaccine.

@BertieBotts, many thanks.

We have Lyme in this general area, so I do keep my eyes open.