How to Remove Ticks from Furry Pets
Prepare a jar filled with a small amount of rubbing alcohol., Wear disposable latex gloves., Ask someone to hold your pet down., Separate the fur around the tick., Grab the tick by the head or mouth using fine-tip tweezers., Gently and slowly pull...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Prepare a jar filled with a small amount of rubbing alcohol.
The rubbing alcohol will kill the tick and the jar can be used to preserve it until you are certain that your pet will not get sick from the bite.
Throwing the tick in the garbage or flushing it down a toilet will not be enough to kill it. -
Step 2: Wear disposable latex gloves.
The bacteria that many ticks carry can enter your bloodstream if it bites your skin or if you touch your eyes, nose, or mouth after handling it bare-handedly, and this bacteria can make you very ill.
Disposable gloves are best, since you can throw the gloves away if they get contaminated.
You may even wish to wear a double layer of gloves as an added precaution. , This is especially important if you have a pet that resists being held or fussed over, but even well-behaved pets may try to run away in the middle of treatment.
Ask help from someone who can gently hold your pet still without hurting or alarming it. , If your pet has short hair, you may not have any trouble seeing the tick.
If your pet has medium to long fur, however, you or your helper may need to part the fur around the tick to expose it so that you can clearly identify the head.
If possible, continue to hold the part with one hand as you remove the tick with the other. , Ideally, you should aim for the area where the tick enters the skin.
Do not grab the body.
Use just enough pressure to hold the tick with the tweezers, but do not squeeze it, since squeezing the tick may prompt it to release harmful bacteria into your pet's bloodstream. , Do not twist the tick, since twisting it increases your chances of decapitating it and causing further problems.
Pull with an upward, outward motion instead of going at it from an angle.
Do this part slowly, since jerking it away too quickly may cause it to release harmful fluids into your pet's blood. , Make sure that the tick falls into the rubbing alcohol and does not hang onto the side of the jar.
Once it is secure, cap the jar and set it aside in a safe location where it will not be knocked over. , A tick's mouth parts can occasionally be left behind in your pet's skin.
If this happens, apply a warm compress to the area in an effort to expel the parts naturally.
Do not attempt to dig them out with your tweezers.
If you cannot remove the mouth-parts with a warm compress, call your veterinarian. , Sterilize it with rubbing alcohol and apply an antibiotic ointment.
Make sure that the ointment you use is safe for pets.
You may need to take extra measures to prevent the animal from licking away the antibiotic or messing with the bite wound.
A t-shirt or booties might be enough to prevent your pet from licking its underbelly or paws, respectively, but if not, you may need to use a pet cone. , Throw the gloves away and do not reuse them, even if they did not come into direct contact with the tick.
Similarly, you should wash your hands with antibacterial soap, even though they did not directly touch the tick. , Dip them into rubbing alcohol, or scrub them clean with an alcohol-soaked cotton ball.
You can also sterilize them by passing the tweezers over a flame. , The area might be a little red after removal.
If so, apply a pet-safe hydrocortisone spray to the location to soothe away some of the irritation.
If the redness or swelling gets worse within a few hours, however, you should take your pet to the vet.
You should also take your pet to the vet if the inflammation does not go away within the first day or two, or if the wound still appears red after a week passes.
You should also bring your jarred tick to the vet so that he or she can analyze it and determine what bacteria your pet might be infected with. -
Step 3: Ask someone to hold your pet down.
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Step 4: Separate the fur around the tick.
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Step 5: Grab the tick by the head or mouth using fine-tip tweezers.
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Step 6: Gently and slowly pull the tick upward.
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Step 7: Place the tick into your prepared jar.
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Step 8: Apply a warm compress
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Step 9: if necessary.
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Step 10: Clean the bite wound.
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Step 11: Remove the gloves and wash your hands.
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Step 12: Sterilize your tweezers.
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Step 13: Watch the bite wound for signs of infection.
Detailed Guide
The rubbing alcohol will kill the tick and the jar can be used to preserve it until you are certain that your pet will not get sick from the bite.
Throwing the tick in the garbage or flushing it down a toilet will not be enough to kill it.
The bacteria that many ticks carry can enter your bloodstream if it bites your skin or if you touch your eyes, nose, or mouth after handling it bare-handedly, and this bacteria can make you very ill.
Disposable gloves are best, since you can throw the gloves away if they get contaminated.
You may even wish to wear a double layer of gloves as an added precaution. , This is especially important if you have a pet that resists being held or fussed over, but even well-behaved pets may try to run away in the middle of treatment.
Ask help from someone who can gently hold your pet still without hurting or alarming it. , If your pet has short hair, you may not have any trouble seeing the tick.
If your pet has medium to long fur, however, you or your helper may need to part the fur around the tick to expose it so that you can clearly identify the head.
If possible, continue to hold the part with one hand as you remove the tick with the other. , Ideally, you should aim for the area where the tick enters the skin.
Do not grab the body.
Use just enough pressure to hold the tick with the tweezers, but do not squeeze it, since squeezing the tick may prompt it to release harmful bacteria into your pet's bloodstream. , Do not twist the tick, since twisting it increases your chances of decapitating it and causing further problems.
Pull with an upward, outward motion instead of going at it from an angle.
Do this part slowly, since jerking it away too quickly may cause it to release harmful fluids into your pet's blood. , Make sure that the tick falls into the rubbing alcohol and does not hang onto the side of the jar.
Once it is secure, cap the jar and set it aside in a safe location where it will not be knocked over. , A tick's mouth parts can occasionally be left behind in your pet's skin.
If this happens, apply a warm compress to the area in an effort to expel the parts naturally.
Do not attempt to dig them out with your tweezers.
If you cannot remove the mouth-parts with a warm compress, call your veterinarian. , Sterilize it with rubbing alcohol and apply an antibiotic ointment.
Make sure that the ointment you use is safe for pets.
You may need to take extra measures to prevent the animal from licking away the antibiotic or messing with the bite wound.
A t-shirt or booties might be enough to prevent your pet from licking its underbelly or paws, respectively, but if not, you may need to use a pet cone. , Throw the gloves away and do not reuse them, even if they did not come into direct contact with the tick.
Similarly, you should wash your hands with antibacterial soap, even though they did not directly touch the tick. , Dip them into rubbing alcohol, or scrub them clean with an alcohol-soaked cotton ball.
You can also sterilize them by passing the tweezers over a flame. , The area might be a little red after removal.
If so, apply a pet-safe hydrocortisone spray to the location to soothe away some of the irritation.
If the redness or swelling gets worse within a few hours, however, you should take your pet to the vet.
You should also take your pet to the vet if the inflammation does not go away within the first day or two, or if the wound still appears red after a week passes.
You should also bring your jarred tick to the vet so that he or she can analyze it and determine what bacteria your pet might be infected with.
About the Author
Raymond Phillips
A passionate writer with expertise in organization topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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