Should dog go to vet after tick bite? Tips and Tricks

What to do if Your Dog has a Tick

Keeping alcohol, tweezers, and cotton balls in a mini tick-removal kit in your car or first aid kit can be quite handy. If you find a tick on your pet, don’t panic. Pulling it out sounds a lot grosser than it really is.

First, apply the alcohol to the area liberally. If you hold a cotton ball soaked in alcohol on the tick it may actually detach on its own in a few minutes.

If it’s resisting, get the tweezers and place them as close as you possibly can to the skin, before slowly pulling upwards. Don’t twist or yank.

Once it’s out of the skin, kill it by placing it in alcohol (you can even keep it in alcohol to show your vet if you want to have it identified to find out if it’s one of the disease-transmitting kind) or flushing it down the toilet.

Now, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water or alcohol.

Lastly, give your good dog a cookie for putting up with this annoyance.

If the head remains imbedded in the skin there is an increased risk of a local skin infection or irritation. However, no diseases can be transmitted without the body attached,

American Dog Ticks can transmit Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (Rickettsia rickettsii). Signs of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever are usually vague with general malaise, fever, poor appetite. An anemia and low platelets can be detected on blood work. Remember that this tick’s name is misleading as these ticks are not choosy when searching for a blood meal. They will readily feed on dogs, cats or people.

Remember that pets bringing ticks into our homes greatly elevates the risk to our human family members. Protecting your pets will protect the whole family!

Blacklegged Deer Ticks are carriers of Lyme Disease (Borrelia Burgdorferi). Even though the adult Blacklegged Deer Ticks are active year round the most likely time for disease transmission is May through July. They stay active in winter by insulating themselves under a layer of snow or leaves. If the temperature is above freezing you can find them creeping! It’s important to note that Deer Ticks do NOT cause the classic bullseye rash (erythema migrans) in pets like they do in people. Signs of Lyme disease in your dog is fever, stiffness or lameness that will shift from leg to leg.

Here are some tips on how to be more proactive against a close encounter of the tick kind:

If the Tick Has Latched On

If, while running your hands through Fidos fur, you notice a tick, remove it carefully, ensuring that the entire body and head are removed. A veterinarian is able to help with tick removal. If the tick appears “blood engorged” and has been feeding for a few days, calling your vet is highly recommended. Not only will he effectively remove the pest, but he may recommend blood tests to rule out any potential infection.

Symptoms of Lyme Disease in Dogs- And Why It’s SO Dangerous – Professional Dog Training Tips

If your dog spends a lot of time outside, tick checks should be part of your daily routine. In many areas of the United States, ticks are active year-round, even after a killing frost. Here’s how to spot a tick—and what to do if one has grabbed hold of your pet.