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Should I remove ticks from my horse? What if the head stays in?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Farm Animal | Horse | Female | unspayed | 8 years and 5 months old

So my horses have ticks on them sometimes and I don't want to just leave them there but I also am worried about leaving the head in the skin if I try to pull it out. How bad is it if I leave the head in by accident and should I try to pull them out or leave them in?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Dr. Leigh, DVM

Answered By Dr. Leigh, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on June 6th, 2017

If the tick's head remains in the skin after trying to remove the tick, it is best to leave it alone instead of trying to dig around and remove it. Your horse's body will expel the remainder of the tick naturally by itself. You could apply a small amount of an antibiotic ointment to the area to help prevent infection. When removing ticks, use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the head (in the skin) as possible.
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