Tick removal/advice please.

ticks

Ok so he picked up a tick the other day but it was too small for me to get out (as the tweezers would have squeezed the body).

So since it had grown quick style I tackled it tonight. Now I didnt twist it as I read online that you should pull out steadily....and I didnt cut it with the tweezers BUT I think the head has actually snapped off as I was pulling it out. All those grippy legs are there but nothing longer than that sticking out from the top, in the middle where I'm pretty sure a little dark head should be! I am pretty sure the head is in there.


I am sure a vet told me once that if that happened not to worry as the tick would be dead from beheading and that the body would normally reject the foreign body and so there may be a red bump while it "works its way out" but that it shouldnt cause any problems normally.


SO do I just keep the lovely bump (right at the top of his ear poor boy...always gets them in the most sensitive places..) clean with hibiscrub each night?

Also, what should I look out for, just in case of infection or anything else that could go wrong, and whats the worst case scenario?

(Now wondering why I'm so concerned about this I never used to worry this much over a tick im sure.... )

Anyway, all help, advice and experiences appreciated!

(also thinking he never used to get any ticks when he was getting a good dose of garlic before which he hasnt had in ages....)

Oh poor boy.....and you!
I would keep it clean and watch for any infection, if it gets hot, red or swollen.

I read a few weeks ago that if you gently massage the tick, round and round, it seems to just give it's self up and you can remove it.
I know it sounds stupid but it has worked twice now on Pepsi

thanks Nippy. The poor boy now has a lovely little bald patch right on the top of his ear and I swear I can actually see a little black head....grrr

Bless him though he is so tolerant, just sat there...

So you just massage the actual body of the tick around? and do they come out at the time or normally after a while?

Oh poor old Louis I've done this before, left a head in there which has turned into a red lump. I used to do the Vasalene bit (to suffocate them), and the tweezers, turning slowly, even resorted to the dead match (sulphur) but the very best way I've found is those green tick removers from the vet, it makes the job so simple and quick and effective, especially as Louis sounds like such a good boy and sits there quietly for you.

I must have removed half a dozen now with the larger pair of these green tweezers I got from the vet and never had a problem.

I'm not into massaging ticks like Jen there, they're so gross, I just couldn't do it! Good luck with it Natalie, keep it clean, maybe spray something antisceptic on it which is what I did with dead heads left in.

I read about the massaging but couldnt bring myself to touch the things
I got a doggy 1st aid kit from ebay with plastic tick removers - clip it on - twist a few times and the little yucky blighter just pops off

I am sure he will be ok - poor thing - good really its in a place you can keep an eye on it

Not had a tick on the dogs for a few yrs but am alway on the look out for them [ I hate the things as I have seen what they can do to a animal, my old cat had so meny when she came to me years ago it was a vet job + sedive and I was told well over a 100 not counting the ones I pick out days after she came home ] The best thing to use is the green fork tweezers or if you are not sure if its a tick or its too small slap some vasalene on and kill the little ****** lol

O'Tom Tick Removers can remove very tiny ticks. I use them and find them easy to use

http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/...re-doing/shop/

I have tick removers from the vet, two sizes, work perfectly, had to use them on me not long ago! It was painfree!

Tick removers are great!
picked mine up from the vet for a fiver

I use a tick hook. Get the toes of it under the tick and just rotate. My two get loads when we are out on the hills, I even got one myself once, disgusting! but the hook works fine.