Being able to snuggle, pet, and groom a furry friend is one of the many perks of living life with a four-legged companion. They will benefit from it, and you will benefit from it as well, with some of the benefits including a reduction in stress and a lowering of your blood pressure. Discovering a tick that is feeding on the blood of your cherished animal can have the exact opposite impact and cause you to experience a level of anxiety that is not optimal.
Fortunately, the discovery of a tick on your animal does not immediately warrant the declaration of a state of emergency. Ticks can be removed from your pets in a way that is both safe and simple using one of the several methods available. Some of these technics require nothing more than your finger, while others call for the use of nifty tools that have been specifically designed for this cringe-worthy activity. Have a look.
Note: You may feel more secure and confident in your ability to handle the situation if you wear latex gloves.
Removal of Ticks Using a Twisty-turny Method
If you don’t have any tweezers or other tick-removal tools on hand, this is the safest and least painful way to remove a tick from your pet. It is also the easiest way to remove a tick. It is also most effective on a tick that has already finished feeding, as this is when they are the largest and grossest. For this technique to work, your pet needs to be calm and still, and they need to be okay with having their hair played with, as that is what it will feel like to them.
Step 1
Is to find the tick on your pet and then carefully part the hair around it.
Step 2
Put your thumb on top of the tick and touch it (yes, yuck!). Then, using your finger, make small circles in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction; it doesn’t matter which direction you go. It is estimated that it will take between 30 and 60 seconds of “twirling” the tick in this circular motion for it to finally release its grip and fall off of your pet.
Step 3
Have a roll of tape or a paper bag handy so that you can trap the tick and throw it away once you’ve removed it from your body. Note that the goal of this technique is not to remove the tick from your pet by twisting it off, but rather to irritate it enough so that it drops off on its own. Be patient because the more full and “lazy” the tick is, the quicker it will let go of its skin after feeding.
Tweezers That Have Been Sterilized Are the Most Effective Tool for Removing Ticks From Animals, Especially Pets
Step 1
Is to find the tick on your pet and then carefully part the hair around it.
Step 2
You will need to use the tweezers to grasp the tick as close to your pet’s skin as you can. Tweezers should be used to grasp the tick just above where its mouthparts are located, as the tick will have its mouthparts buried in the skin of your pet.
Step 3
Maintain constant pressure as you pull the tick in an upward direction. If you are worried about hurting your pet, resist the urge to rip at the tick or ease up on the pressure. Also, make sure not to squeeze the tick in such a way that it bursts or breaks into pieces. Simply keep pulling in the same direction with the expectation that it will be released at some point… and it will be. It probably just seems like a splinter to your pet when it comes out.
Removal With a Tick Picker is Speedy and Uncomplicated
A tick picker is a grooming tool that has been specifically designed to make the removal of ticks quick and easy. This means that you won’t have to risk injuring your pet by using the tweezers you keep in your bathroom. When you locate ticks on your animal, it can be very helpful to have a tick remover tool on hand to remove them quickly and easily. The following is the proper way to use a tool for removing ticks:
Step 1
Is to find the tick on your pet and then carefully part the hair around it.
Step 2
Position the tool so that the widest part is over the tick, and then pull the device over your pet’s skin until the narrowest part “grips” the tick.
Step 3
Hoist the tick picker upwards and away from the skin of your pet in a gentle, upward motion. The tick will be removed from your pet, and the pressure from the pulling will force the tick to let go of its hold on your pet.
Step 4
Is to ensure that you have a piece of tape or a baggie on hand so that you can catch the tick and then dispose of it.
Remember to Disinfect the Wound Caused by the Bite
After removing the tick from your pet’s skin, use antiseptic wipes or a cleaning solution to disinfect the bite mark, and continue to monitor the open wound for a few days after the tick has been removed. Take your pet to the veterinarian as soon as possible if you notice any symptoms of infection or if they are not acting normally to rule out or treat any tick-borne illnesses.
It is Better to Prevent Disease Than to Treat It
The easiest and safest way to remove a tick from your pet is to either stop ticks from attaching themselves to your animal in the first place or kill them as soon as they make contact with your pet. There are a few different approaches you can take to protect your pet from ticks:
Repellents, Either Chemical or Electronic, for Ticks
A tick and flea shampoo can be used to effectively repulse ticks, whereas a powder can be scattered on your animal and sifted through its coat in addition to being sprinkled on their mattresses and blankets to avoid repeat infestations. Both of these methods can be used to prevent ticks from attaching themselves to your pet. In addition, using tick and flea spray in between baths is an effective method for warding off ticks.
Try using an ultrasound tick and flea repellent instead of one that contains chemicals if you are worried about those. You can put this on your pet’s collar, and it will prevent parasites from entering the area up to 1.5 meters away by transmitting an ultrasonic frequency. This will prevent pests from entering your home, but it won’t treat a current infestation, which needs to be cleared out first.
Chews Are a Treatment for Ticks and Fleas
There is a wide variety of tick and flea-killing bites available on the market today. These chews are intended to protect pets from ticks and fleas for an extended period (usually several months). These work by penetrating your pet’s skin with a chemical, ensuring that if they are bitten by fleas or ticks, the parasites will die instantly as a result of being poisoned by the bite. This is how these products work.
Treatment for Fleas and Ticks Applied Topically
Tick and flea spot-on treatment options are utilized topically for your pet by dropping the fluid on the back of their neck. These treatments are effective against both ticks and fleas. From there, it travels through the skin, and if a tick or flea bites your pet’s skin, the parasite will die. However, the disease can be spread to other animals.
Tick and Flea Collars
Tick and flea collars function in a manner that is comparable to that of spot-on treatments, in that the active components of the collar must come into contact with your pet’s skin for the collar to be effective in warding off ticks and fleas.
Because your pet is a warm-blooded, fuzzy critter, ticks, fleas, and other types of parasites will inevitably become a part of their lives at some point. You can ensure their safety by selecting the appropriate preventative or repellent treatment for your pet that also takes into account your budget.