Ticks are blood-sucking parasites; they can be annoying and cause significant health troubles for your pet pooch. Puppies can be affected by various tick species having the potential to transmit fatal diseases to other animals and sometimes humans too.
Should you spot a tick on your furry baby’s body, consider removing it and take your pet to the vet asap. Timely medical intervention can save your little pupper from the pain and discomfort associated with miserable health conditions caused by ticks.
Dog insurance covers a canine fur baby’s testing, treatment, and medications during unanticipated health circumstances like this and many others. Contemplate purchasing a cheap pet insurance policy at least, because every fur baby deserves timely medical care.
Meanwhile, read this article to learn how to remove ticks on your puppy’s body.
What are ticks?
Ticks are not insects. These tiny critters belong to arachnids and usually affect dogs. The most common tick species are – “Dermacentor Variabilis”, aka dog tick, and “Rhipicephalus Sanguineus”, aka brown dog tick.
These parasites thrive in bushy areas, especially tall grasses, and can be easily picked by animals when they brush past them. For instance, your innocent pup may be spending a good time in the garden or the dog park among the greens with other animals or people knowing very little that the pesky ticks have climbed onto its body and legs. Ticks can be found on any body part, but typically they flock at the ears, neck, and head.
Getting any ticks off your dog quickly is an essential part of tick-borne disease prevention. Here is a quick guide on the DOs and DON’Ts.
DO’s
If You Find A Tick On Your Dog
- Part your dog’s hair around the tick with your fingers
- Place the tweezers around the tick, as close as you can, possibly get to the skin
- Don’t twist or jerk the tick
- Just pull gently upwards with steady hands, adding pressure until the tick lets you pull it away from the skin
- Clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, iodine or soap and water
- Dispose of the tick by killing it in alcohol or flush it down the toilet
- If you’re concerned your dog may have contracted tick disease, save the tick in alcohol for testing
Use a tick removal gadget. There are several on the market. I like the Tick Key and I keep one in several rooms of my house so it’s close at hand when I find a tick on my dog. You can also keep it on your key ring.
- Place the large opening of the Tick Key over the tick
- Slide the Tick Key until the tick is in the narrow slot at the end
- Keep sliding the tick key in the same direction, along the skin
- The tick will come out, head and all
- Clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, iodine or soap and water
- Dispose of the tick by killing it in alcohol or flush it down the toilet
- If you’re concerned your dog may have contracted tick disease, save the tick in alcohol for testing
DON’Ts
- Don’t remove ticks with your fingers. If you do use your fingers, it’s best to protect them with a tissue or paper towel, and disinfect your hands afterwards (as well as the bite area on your dog). You don’t really want tick saliva or blood on your fingers as it may contain pathogens
- Don’t squish or crush a tick. This can force infected body fluids through the tick’s mouth and increase the risk of infection for you and your dog
- Don’t worry if the mouthpart of the tick stays in your dog’s skin. It can happen sometimes when they’re really well embedded. It’s a bit like having a splinter and it will fall out in a few days
- Don’t put substances like nail polish, vaseline or repellents on the tick to try to suffocate or kill it while it’s on your dog. This can cause the tick to vomit into your dog, increasing the possibility of infection
- Don’t burn the tick with a lighted cigarette or hot match as these things can also cause vomiting
- Don’t dispose of the tick in your trashcan or sink as they can easily crawl back out
After you’ve removed the tick from your dog, praise your pet for being good. Give him or her a treat and add in some extra playtime as a special reward.
Monitor your puppy for inflammation and irritation for several days, especially if the mouthparts are left behind. Contact your vet immediately if your pet’s condition seems to be deteriorating. Dog insurance for canines allows you to provide your furry little one with timely medical help during dire health scenarios like this and many others. Pet insurance policies are affordable and help manage unplanned vet costs with little hassle, so consider buying a policy.
