Q: We have a dog, and we like to walk in the woods. What’s the proper way to remove his ticks? And are ticks strictly a warm-weather concern?
A: Two great questions. We’ll answer the second one first: Here in the Mid-Atlantic, ticks are a year-round problem. An unusually cold winter (like last year’s) may reduce the tick population. But it takes a substantial run of sub-freezing weather to kill off ticks, and that’s something we’ve rarely had in recent years. Ticks usually breed in the beginning of winter and feed then also.
That’s why we recommend that cat and dog owners consult with their veterinarians to come up with a year-round program of safe and effective parasite control — not just for ticks, but also for fleas, heartworms and other parasites. Even indoor cats should be protected, since ticks and other parasites can hitch a ride on us or the family dog.
There are a variety of products for topical application or to be given in pill form. Depending on your lifestyle and your pet’s routine and level of exposure, your vet can help you choose the product (or combination) that’ll work best for you.
Important: Tick products for dogs and cats are not interchangeable! Dog products may even be fatal to cats. So be sure to use the right product for the right animal.
Even with the use of modern tick-control products, it’s possible for an occasional tick to latch onto outdoor pets. So it’s still important for us to check their fur after they venture into areas where ticks hang out, in long grass, brush or wooded areas, waiting to sense a warm mammal walking by so they can hop on for a ride and a blood-sucking meal.
So how do you safely remove a tick? Skip all the old-wives’-tale methods involving petroleum jelly, nail polish, alcohol, matches (lit or snuffed), lighter fluid, flamethrowers or small nuclear devices.
As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cautions, such “folklore remedies” won’t detach ticks and may injure your pet. They can even make the situation worse by causing the tick to release additional saliva, increasing the chances of pathogen transmission. Of the various tick removal devices on the market, the CDC says none work better than a plain pair of fine-tipped tweezers.
A hungry tick inserts its mouthparts into the skin, locks them in place and begins feeding. Ticks only release when the meal is done. Avoid touching ticks, since tick-borne diseases can be transmitted to humans, too. Use a tissue or paper towel to protect your fingers, or even consider wearing disposable gloves.
Our practice recommends a device called Ticked Off, available at pet stores, veterinary offices and tickedoff.com. This is the most clever tick removal device I have ever used. It gently removes the entire tick, including the head. Any size tick, from the tiny deer tick to the larger brown dog tick, is removed with ease. This device is also very safe for removing ticks from humans.
Another option to remove a tick is to use tweezers or a similar device to grab the tick as close to the head as possible. Use gentle, steady pressure to pull the tick out of the skin. Don’t twist it — pull straight up and out. Pieces of skin may come off with the tick. When you’re done, wash your hands thoroughly to be on the safe side. If the head of the tick remains in the skin, try to remove as much as possible. If you can’t remove the entire head, it’s possible a small infection or abscess may develop at the bite site, which is the immune system’s way of dislodging it. If you’re concerned, your veterinarian can remove the remaining part of the tick.