My dog's tick fell off, but is the head still in? What should I do?

It looks like the tick came out in one piece. When a tick bites, the saliva can cause a localized reaction leading to a firm granuloma. This should resolve on it's own over the next few weeks. In the meantime, consider an oral or topical preventative.

It's very important to make sure you removed the head of the tick, and if you think you didn't, I would take Lady into the vet to get it removed. Clean the area with an antiseptic wash, and keep an eye on the area for signs of infection. If the area becomes red or inflamed, take her into the vet. Also monitor her for signs of fever, anorexia, reluctance to move, swollen lymph nodes, lethargy, I would take her into the vet right away.

From this image, it looks as though the lump may be a tick. It is hard to tell from an image alone, but I would recommend asking your vet for a technician appointment to see if they can remove it for you. If it's not a tick, then it is likely something that can wait until february unless it grows excessively or starts bleeding.

Yes you should be able to remove it at home, just ensure that you remove it completely as twisting can potentially cause the mouth parts to break off and remain in the skin, if you have any doubts your veterinary clinic should be able to assist you. I would also recommend that you speak to your veterinary clinic regarding a tick prevention regime to prevent further ticks in the future and to discuss possible diseases in your area that could be contracted and if your pet maybe at risk.

Hi. Looks like you did a great job. She will need to be seen as that site looks a little inflamed. And it seems the collar isnt working. I'd recommend getting a glea and tick preventative from your veterinarian. I also would recommend getting the environment treated as well to help break all the life cycles

For the most part, ticks do not cause much harm, but do have the potential to transmit certain diseases and some can cause neurologic problems. Some of these diseases and complications would be obvious if they occurred already. It's good to clip the hair around where the tick was and examine the skin for any redness or swelling - this can indicate an infection. The vet can do some blood tests for the commonly transmitted diseases if necessary. However, it's likely that Pico will be completely fine. Fully engorged ticks will lay eggs in the environment, so I would make sure to clean under any dark areas of the house. Normal flea/tick medication can be given to kill other ticks and prevent any more from getting on him. I recommend the spot-on treatments like Frontline and Revolution. Your vet will be able to give you the best products, so I recommend waiting until Monday to get these. In the meantime, you can give a bath. There are some flea/tick shampoos that you can get at the pet store. Just make sure you use it as directed by the manufacturer. I hope that helps and all is well with Pico.

As long as the area on Miley's skin looks okay (no significant redness or swelling), then you don't need to take her to the vet right away after finding an attached tick. If the tick was attached for long enough to transmit disease, like Lyme disease, Ehrlichia or Anaplasma, then it takes about 6 months for a blood test to diagnose an infection. Unfortunately, there are no measures to take to stop any of these diseases if she's already been infected. I would certainly mention this tick attachment to Miley's vet the next time she goes in for an exam because her vet will most likely recommend running a tick-borne disease blood test about 6 months from the date of tick exposure. In the long run, definitely add some tick prevention in for Miley. Seresto collars, K9 Advantix II, Bravecto, Nexgard, Simparica or Credelio are all great options to discuss with your vet. I hope this helps and that everything goes well!