How To Remove A Tick From
|
| Ask a Pet Health Question Get a Pet Health Answer Share your Pet Health Story Read a Pet Health Article |
When you find a tick on your pet or yourself it does need to be removed as quickly as possible. However, there are correct and safe ways of tick removal without risking further exposure to the tick’s saliva, which is infested with disease.
What are Ticks?
Contrary to popular belief, ticks are not insects. They are disgusting little mites who live only to suck the blood of their host. Any warm-blooded creature will do; ticks are not selective.
There are many different types, sizes, and colors of ticks, which make it very easy for them to blend in with your pet’s fur or your own hair for that matter. Weighing virtually nothing, ticks navigate the body undetected until they attach and begin to feast upon a blood meal. Some ticks such as the deer tick are so small you can barely see them until after they have fed and started to swell.
What To Do and What To Don’t of Tick Removal
Do:• Use rubber gloves to avoid direct contact with the tick
• Use tweezers to remove the tick
• Use all-natural flea and tick control, such as
TripleSure Natural Flea and Tick Spray,
which will kill the tick on contact without the use of any chemicals or harmful additives
Don't:
• Grab the tick bare handed
• Squeeze the tick’s body when removing
• Twist or wiggle the tick
• Try to smother the tick with alcohol or Vaseline
• Attempt to kill the tick using a match or other device for burning
• Drown your pet in harmful, chemical-based flea and tick killers
The Correct and Safe Way to Remove a Tick
Because ticks carry infectious diseases, it is important to have the proper tools handy prior to attempting to remove a tick. Items you should have include rubber gloves, fine tipped tweezers, a cotton swab, alcohol, soap and water. With these items at hand, the proper way to remove a tick is:1. Put on rubber gloves. If you have an all-natural tick killer such as TripleSure, spray the tick, which will kill it on contact. Do not use a match, Vaseline, or alcohol in an attempt to kill the tick.
2. Firmly grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible using fine tipped tweezers.
3. Pull the tick straight backwards to remove it. Do not use too much pressure or a twisting motion or you may inject more of the tick’s saliva into the bloodstream which will increase the chance of an infection.
4. Once you have removed the tick, kill it using alcohol if it is not already dead. Make sure the tick is disposed of in the garbage or by flushing it down the toilet.
5. Clean the site of the bite with a cotton swab soaked in alcohol. Then clean it again with soap and water.
Prevention
There are virtually dozens of products on the market to help combat tick infestation. Most of these products, however, are heavily laden with chemicals which easily penetrate your pet’s skin causing potentially serious side effects and health problems. When looking for a reliable yet safe product, be sure to choose one that is all natural and chemical free.Ticks are carriers of disease. Dogs are highly susceptible to Lyme disease in particular and, without proper treatment, can suffer devastating effects to their overall health including heart, joint, and neurological problems.
Humans can also become infected with Lyme disease and suffer serious and sometimes irreversible effects if left untreated. Although pets do not directly infect humans, the ticks they carry can. By moving from the pet to their human owners, ticks can bite and infect humans with disease. Remember to do regular checks and remove a tick immediately from your pets as well as yourself to safeguard against potential illness and avoid unwanted guests.
