What's this on my dog's ear? Is it a tick? How do I remove it safely?

That appears to be a tick. Read the article below on how to remove a tick. Consider a monthly topical flea and tick preventive if Rocket will continue going outdoors. https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-remove-a-tick-from-your-dog-or-cat

Take tweezers, put then on the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull straight up. Do not worry if the head breaks off and stays in the skin. The body will get rid of it within a few weeks. Best prevention for ticks is either a spot on that prevents ticks or fleas or a preventive chew such as Bravecto or Nexgard.

I can't tell based on the photo if there are potential legs there. Try to look at the base of this thing near where it is attached to the ear to see if you see many legs sticking out on the sides. if there are no legs, then this is a mass. I would then recommend having your vet take a look at this for further testing and possible surgical removal. If this is a tick, then proper removal of the tick should be done with hemostats through your vet or any other person who is trained in proper tick removal. I would then recommend a high quality flea/tick preventative such as Simparica, Bravecto, Nexgard or even over the counter Advantix can work in many pets. I hope that this leads you towards a proper diagnosis of this questionable lesion on Ramsey's ear. Best of luck moving forward. Take care.

These skin tags look like ticks whereas the brown discharge can be suggestive of an external ear canal infection. A check up would be requires as soon as possible to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Here is a link on how to remove ticks safely: https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-check-your-pet-for-fleas-and-ticks/ Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Thanks for the picture! It looks like an engorged tick. Gently lift it up and if you see 8 legs then it is a tick. Pull it gently off the skin where the head attaches to the skin or you can have your Vet for Vet tech remove it for you. I would change the brand of tick prevention you are using or start using one. I hope this helps!

I agree that this looks like an engorged tick on Bella's neck. Try to grab at the base of the attachment either firmly with a pair of tweezers or with your fingers, then smoothly and confidently pull it straight out. Your goal is to pull it straight out so that none of the mouth parts are left behind in the skin. If you're unable to remove it, seek veterinary attention for help in removing it. I can't tell what type of tick it is from the angles in this picture, but remember that ticks can transmit a variety of different infectious diseases. Due to this, I would have a blood test run on Bella in about 6 months to check for some of the more common diseases, like Lyme, Ehrlichia, or Anaplasma. If you don't already have her on a good flea and tick preventive medication, be sure to start one right away. I hope that everything goes well!

That looks like a tick. I suggest you remove it or have it removed by someone else. Make sure you check the rest of his body for any others. If he goes outdoors you need to be sure to use a flea/tick prevention on him EVERY month. Ticks carry many diseases that can be transmitted to your cat so you want to keep them from getting on Buddy. https://www.wikihow.pet/Remove-a-Tick-from-a-Cat If you are not comfortable removing the tick I suggest you take Buddy to your vet so they can do it for you. Your vet can also give you a recommendation on what type of flea/tick prevention would be best for Buddy. Hope this helps. Best wishes.