How to Remove a Tick

I have to admit – I'm not the best when it comes to removing a tick. I ask my partner to do it. They are creepy!

However, as a good mama, I will do what is necessary for my furry kids. I want you to be good, too! First, you'll need to do a “tick check.” I have to do this on my partner as well. Ticks love him. Even if the dog doesn't have one, he most likely will. LOL! (Except it's not that funny when you find one. Eek!)

1. Check before you go inside your home. You don't want them to get inside – especially the American Dog ticks  , which can live up to 2 years without a host!
2. Comb your fingers through your dog's fur, pressing gently against the skin to feel for any bumps. You'll want to check your dog's face, neck, inside of the ears, feet and between the toes.
3. If you feel a bump, part your dog's hair, so you can see the skin. Ticks will be black, brown or a grayish brown. You may see only its body, but you may also see its legs.

Now, we get to the fun part. Removing the tick. Get your supplies together: gloves, tweezers, and a jar with a screw top lid that has a little rubbing alcohol in it.

1. Wash your hands first with soap and water, then use gloves to protect them from getting any diseases the tick may carry.
2. Do not twist or jerk the tick; do not squeeze or crush its body. If you do any of these things, you may not remove the tick fully or it could release its fluids into your pet. Icky sicky!
3. Using the tweezers, grasp the tick as close to your dog’s skin as possible. Pull straight upwards with steady, even pressure.
4. Dispose of the tick in the jar. This is for giving to your vet to test if your pet gets sick.
5. Disinfect your tweezers using rubbing alcohol and wash your hands again.

That's all it takes. Not too bad, right? To help keep ticks off your dog in the future, ask your vet about a repellent. (We use Frontline for our dog.)