posted 05-17-2003 08:46 PM         

Ticks are pea-sized insects that attach themselves to the skin of your dog. And once they grab ahold, they are difficult to remove. But you need to remove them because ticks are known to carry diseases and can be harmful to your pet. Ticks are known to carry Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Canine Ehrlichiosis, Canine Babesiosus, and Lyme Disease. Each of these can be problematic for the long-term health of your pet.

If you find a tick on your dog, you should first find the spot and hold a cotton swab full of mineral oil against the tick completely. This will begin the process of easing the release of the tick on your dog. Then you’ll want to use tweezers to pinch the tick off your dog. With the tweezers you should pinch the skin around the tick. The tick grasps its head against the dog’s skin face first. So you need to grab the head of the tick deep in your dog’s skin and lift it out.

The tick removal process can be very painful for your dog. You need to be aware of that. Because this is so difficult for a pet, you should certainly give your pet a treat as soon as the entire process is over, so it won’t be as scared when it has to be done again.

You should take some steps to make sure your pet doesn’t get as many ticks. You can do this by getting a tick collar that is designed to keep ticks away, walking your dog in a clear area as ticks like wooded areas, and check out you and your dog regularly for ticks.