Discovering a tick on your beloved pet can be a stressful discovery, but we’re here to help. We at MojoVet Mobile want to share these seven steps to remove a tick from your furry friend successfully. 

Step 1: Put on gloves

Ticks pose a threat not only to your pet’s health but also your own, as they carry many potentially severe diseases. Play it safe, and wear protective gear before handling a tick.

Step 2: Distract your pet with tasty treats

You don’t want your pet to run off in the middle of removing the tick, so enlist a helper, or distract your furry pal with a long-lasting treat.

Step 3: Position your tweezers close to your pet’s skin

Fine-tipped tweezers work best at getting as close to your pet’s skin as possible, without grabbing hold. Grasp the tick’s head where it enters the skin, rather than the bloated body.

Step 4: Pull the tick out

Use steady, even pressure to pull the tick straight out. Avoid twisting or jerking the tick, so you don’t leave the mouthparts behind, and don’t squeeze or crush the tick since that can encourage toxin release.

Step 5: Don’t flush the tick

Ticks can live up to three weeks in water, so flushing it down the toilet won’t drown it. Instead, kill the tick in a container filled with rubbing alcohol. 

Step 6: Disinfect the bite site

Clean the bite site with triple-antibiotic wipes or spray, and watch for signs of redness, swelling, or infection. Most tick bites don’t require additional treatment, but we recommend testing your pet for tick-borne diseases a few months after a tick bite. 

Step 7: Stock up on tick prevention

Using a high-quality tick preventive year-round is the best way to keep your pet tick-free, and with all the prevention options available, there’s no reason to deal with ticks. 

Are you uncomfortable with doing the removal yourself? No worries! Contact us for help.