My dog has a tick, but she won't let me remove it. What now?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! While that does look like it could be a tick, it is difficult to see from the photo. Ticks are also usually found in haired areas of skin rather than the lips. Because it is not clear what this is, I do not recommend removing it from Charlie yourself. Especially because of the proximity to the mouth and possibility that Charlie may bite if painful. If this is truly a tick, Charlie should be seen by a vet, as ticks can transmit Lyme disease and other blood parasites, and he may need to be put on prophylactic antibiotics. If this is a mass, your vet can elect to remove it under light sedation or anesthesia and send it off to lab as a biopsy. I recommend having Charlie seen by a vet as soon as you are able to and hope all is well!

I agree that it looks as though Lucas has a tick attached to his eyelid. Ticks tend to like to bite areas with a greater blood supply, particularly the face and ears. If he's cooperative, you can try to use a pair of tweezers to carefully grab the base of the tick and pull straight out in a firm, smooth motion. Be sure that all of the tick's mouth parts are out, as they can be a source of infection if they're left behind. Also take care not to squeeze the body of the tick, as this can cause them to regurgitate during removal, potentially injecting diseased organisms through the bite. However, if he is resistant to your tick removal attempts or if you're still unable to remove it with a pair of tweezers, Lucas should be seen by his vet. Good luck! I hope that everything goes well!

Hello. I am so sorry for your worries with Ellie. It might be best to let the technician remove the tick, because they will have a special little device that will get underneath the tick & remove it safely. If you try to remove a tick like this on your own, you might accidentally squeeze the contents of the tick into the skin causing a possible infection, or not completely remove all of the mouth parts. If your vet has already mentioned antibiotics, 3 more hours will not make any worse. I hope this helps, all the best to Ellie & thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

It's best that this tick if removed from Kiba now to prevent it from feeding on him and possibly passing along disease. You will need tweezers, disinfectant, and isopropyl alcohol. Use the tweezers to grasp the tick firmly as close to Kiba's skin as possible and pull straight up. Do not twist, pull upwards in a steady and straight motion. Twisting it could leave parts behind, and it's very important to remove all of the tick. If the head remains embedded, then Kiba has to see a vet as soon as possible to get it removed. Should you get all of the tick out, drop the tick into a container of isopropyl alcohol to kill it, and clean the area with antiseptic soap. Keep an eye on the area where the tick was, and if it becomes infected or irritated, Kiba will need to see a vet.

If you can't get him to a vet clinic to have the tick removed, you can try doing so at home by following the information at the link below: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/how-to-remove-tick-from-dog/ I recommend you wear gloves while removing the tick and wash your hands after removing it, as ticks can carry diseases that are transmissible to humans. Put the tick in an airtight container to take to your vet so they can identify it and see if it is one of the kinds that can carry Lyme disease or other diseases.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Maddux. It is concerning if you did not get the head of the tick. There is still a risk of infection with the head stuck in. You should have him seen by a vet asap to get the head removed. Best of luck.

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.