With tweezers grab the head as close to pinchers and pull straight out. You have to pull more than you think. Dab area with alcohol wipes after. When pulling out you want to make sure you don't squeeze the body of the tick because this can essentially push the bacteria into whatever it is latched onto.

Next steps would be to save the tick and get it tested if it has been on for more than a day.

I’ve always gone with the put Vaseline/ vegetable oil on a q-tip and spread it over the tick’s body. When a tick latches on they bite pretty hard and breathe through their body. If you try to rip them out, the head could remain attached and cause an infection. The Vaseline/ oil cuts off the tick’s oxygen supply so they let go to take a breath. Not easy when you have a squirming puppy but I hope it helps

So this is an old school method I guess I’ve used many times for myself and dogs. Can be a bit dicey if your dog is squirming a lot. Light a match, blow it out, and then place the hot match end on the tick. It should fall right off dead, or be easily removed afterward. Good method if you don’t have tick tweezers handy, which are prob the best method

EDIT. It appears that this method can traumatize the tick into regurgitation, potentially increasing disease transmission. May not be the best idea. Sorry!

For future reference, my trainer and vet both recommended the tick twister and it works great!

Edit-I just read that my way of removing the tick ISNT a good idea, so…disregard. 😂

Get a tick key https://a.co/d/63zJnu6

Tick Key is my go to. I use one at home and have one in my pack. They work amazingly well

If you get some proper anti-tick meds from your vet, the ticks will fall off and die all on their own.

I pulled 3 off me yesterday. They are out in full force right now!

Irritating the tick (burning, petroleum jelly, etc) can cause them to puke inside the host if they are already attached. Disease can be spread from the puking. Gently removing them is now recommended.

I use a cotton ball and rubbing alcohol. Hold the ball for about 20 seconds and make sure to cover the whole tick. It burns and suffocates them without hurting your dog.

A got a thing called tick twister from Amazon. It has been the easiest I have found.

My rescue dog was found outside covered in ticks. It took several people several hours to get them all. (still have nightmares about them sometimes.)

You have to be VERY careful and make sure your dog is very still, but we got the stubborn ones to back up so we could pull them out with a lit punk (the stick thing you use to light fireworks). They don't like excessive heat. It's how my dad got ticks off me as a kid. It worked on the dog because he stayed very still. If you don't think your dog will stay still, then I would advise not to try it or to use a different heat source, like a heat pad.

There are also dog shampoos designed to kill ticks, but I can't speak to their efficacy.

Also, check the people who have been around your dog for ticks too. Husband and I each had one after getting them off the dog.

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if tea tree oil is available in your area put some on a tissue and rub the tick, this will kill it and make it much easier to remove with tweezers safely.

Stab the tick with a hot needle, it will make them let go, then gentle remove with tweezers.

Have you tried using a tick key or a tick tornado?

Cover the whole dog head to toe in vasoline

Tick tweezers. There are locking plastic tweezers available here. You place them around the neck of the tick, close them and just twist the tick out.

And use frontline or something similar. Not getting ticks in the first place is the best solution.

EDIT: typo

Bravecto all the way. 8 years and no live ticks.

This is our first encounter with fleas and it's been a nightmare. Migrated from the dog to the cat. Dog is fine after a pill. Cat not so much.

No no no, I just moved back from Maine, I used to tell people they weren't in Washington.

Yes! My vet said over-the-counter topical meds don't work very well anymore because fleas have become resistant to them.

It's the only thing I trust!

this is the way

And a good price at Costco

If you want to do some citizen science send the tick to DOH. They will identify the type of tick for you and they have a public map of ticks that have been sent in.

https://doh.wa.gov/community-and-environment/pests/ticks#:~:text=You%20can%20submit%20ticks%20found,diseases%20that%20species%20can%20carry.

I will be following this comment i found at the beginning of the month. I'm hopeful that it works to reduce the ticks around my house.

I wish I saved the comment as well as a screenshot. I missed the user name.

>"The baby ticks are so small that their mouths can only pierce the delicate skin of the baby mice and that's where they are vulnerable

>Just google "how to make a tick tube". The insecticide, permethrin, is what tick resistant clothing is treated with when it is dry. It does not absorb through our skin. I buy mine at tractor supply in liquid form. The stuff was originally discovered as a compound in chrysanthemums.

>Outdoors and wearing gloves, etc. soak cotton balls and lay them out to dry. Be very careful with the liquid stuff. You do not want that on your skin but dry it's OK.

>Stuff the dry cotton balls into paper towel, or toilet paper rolls, and put them around your property. I've seen kid projects where they decorate these things as snakes or salamanders or whatever other fun art projects before setting them out.

>Mice will take the cotton with the dry insecticide into their nest, where it will kill the baby tics, and after a few months, you will be astonished at the reduction in the tick population

>But again, this only works for deer ticks, and any other species that relies on the baby mice for part of the life cycle."

Okay. Time to confess. I grabbed a tick off my dog, and giggled wildly as I threw it into the fire, unable to hear it's screams of terror. One down, infinity to go. This, mother nature, I do not regret.

I love Vermont but it’s the season of the ticks

You need to get some sun

diatomaceous earth will kill ticks, you can keep some in a small jar and put them in. It won't be immediate but that way you don't have to flush the toilet every time or deal with burning anything

I just flush them down the toilet.

I fold them in some paper towels and squeeze them to death.

Fold a piece of tape around them so they can’t move then just throw them out

I put mine in a capful of isopropyl alcohol to drown, sealed up in a ziplock baggie or a small jar. Ideally, you want to keep them for a few days (especially if they've been attached long enough to get fat). If your dog starts showing symptoms of illness you can bring the tick in for testing.

What's the reason why she can't have flea/tick meds? I've never heard of that. What active ingredient are they worried about? I mean, the only way to 100% kill the ticks is using medicated methods, like Frontline, Nexgard, Simparica, etc, unless you remove every single one by hand.

That is really sad. I hate reading these stories of neglect.

I use Bayer Seresto collars on my dogs. In the 6 years I've used them, I've only pulled 2 ticks that actually succeeded in penetrating the skin. They work very well.

Don't give up. There's a reason that dog came into your possession.

I don't know what to say, other than hopefully she doesn't have Lyme or some other disease from the ticks.

This is horrifying but I’m so so glad the original owner surrendered her to you. You are giving her the love and care they should have! She is in the best place she can be considering, thank you for noticing the obvious neglect and for getting her tf out!

Apparently dishwasher liquid put on ticks will stop them breathing and then tic jumps off .

Tick twisters help a lot for getting the full tick off. But only does one at a time, which is what you are going to have to do.

What about using a topical like Frontline that kills ticks? I know they wouldn't die for 2 days, but it would at least not be painful.

Most practices would recommend allowing an oral or topical tick preventative to take effect. Killing the ticks that are currently feeding and allowing them to die and fall off. Going after each tick might traumatize the skin more than anything. Call your veterinarian and see what they recommend.

Agreed with the above comment, it's a one by one process, with the twisty tool. You have to try make sure you get the head out, so you remove the whole nasty tick.

What did the vet say when they gave him his shots? Is he anemic due to the amount of ticks present?