Getting Rid of Ticks: A Step-by-Step Guide

So, a tick has been found, and it’s attached to your poor pooch. Ticks populate nearly every part of the world, and they can survive and thrive in a range of climates. That means dealing with these pests is inevitable for almost all of us. And because ticks carry many diseases, we need to know how to get rid of them. Here’s a helpful, must-have step-by-step guide to getting rid of ticks on your dog.

Step One: Scan for Ticks

Sure, this seems obvious, but if you’re new to the process, there are a few favorite tick hiding places to check extra carefully. It should be a habit after every walk or hike, to check for ticks. And if the backyard is in a region known for ticks, we should make a habit of checking every morning and evening too. This is not only a good idea to keep ticks off of our dogs, but also keep them from ending up in our home or from jumping on us. Ticks don’t have heads, so it’s their mouthparts that can get caught and left behind.

Step Two: Remove & Sanitize

Tweezers are the most common way to remove ticks. Most household tweezers have blunt tips, but for tick removal, it’s important to use fine-point tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible without getting in any hair caught in there. Pull straight upward in a slow, steady motion. Ticks don’t have heads, so it’s their mouthparts that can get caught and left behind. If that happens, treat it like a splinter by preventing infection and letting the body wall it off and dissolve the leftover bits. Apply a little disinfectant to the area to help it heal. Reward Fido for bravery. That way he’ll be calm when this happens in the future. Common symptoms of tick-borne illnesses include fever, fatigue, lethargy or disinterest, loss of appetite, and swollen lymph nodes.

Step Three: Save for Testing & Watch for Symptoms

Once the tick has been removed, kill it by placing it in a small container of isopropyl alcohol. Save it for a few days to a week while we watch for symptoms of disease in our pup. Common symptoms of tick-borne illnesses include fever, fatigue, lethargy or disinterest, loss of appetite, and swollen lymph nodes. If any of these develop, taking furry-babies to the vet immediately, along with the dead tick, will be critical. Our pup, the backyard, and the household can be at risk if we don’t remove the tick quickly.

Step Four: Prevent & Protect

Ticks can survive year-round in most regions, even after frost and light snow. Plus, they breed while they feed and can lay up to 3,000 eggs. Some species can lay up to 20,000 eggs. This means our pup, the backyard, and the household can be at risk if we don’t remove the tick quickly. To ward off eggs and ticks from our pups, we should apply a bug repellant. It's the ultimate key to getting rid of ticks for good. There are dips and oils, but many of those use toxic ingredients or poisons that can make our dogs feel sick. Whatever is chosen, make sure it will repel the trifecta - ticks, fleas, and mosquitos. All three carry dangerous diseases. Try EcoBug!  

Try EcoBug! Getting rid of ticks can be a tough job, but EcoBug can help. Vet Organics has a new and exciting remedy to keep our dogs and our home safe from bugs and diseases - EcoBug. It’s coming out soon, so follow us on social or sign up for our newsletter to watch for announcements. EcoBug is a natural, organic, non-toxic, pesticide-free repellant that is hard on bugs, but gentle on pets. It not only helps eliminate the trifecta - ticks, fleas, and mosquitoes, it also protects against mites that cause common skin and ear infections.