Ticks are year round pests, even after a frost, so you always have to be on the look out. Below are some quick and easy steps to help you check for, and identify ticks. Also, a quick and easy guide to help you remove a tick once you find one.
Scan: Using your fingers, stoke your pets body. Don’t forget legs, tail, paws, toes, eyes, nose and teeth (at the gum line).
Identify: Ticks can be black as well as shades of brown. They have eight legs and can be as small as a pin head or as big as a lady bug.
Remove: You will need gloves, tweezers or a tick remover, antiseptic, and alcohol.
Grasp the tick as close as you can to your pet’s skin.
Using tweezers, pull the tick out slowly, and straight out from the direction it entered.
You want to be sure to get the whole tick, so don’t pull quickly.
If you are using a Tick Remover, place it against the skin, near the tick and slide the notch under the tick to pull it free of the skin.
Clean: Don’t flush the tick! Drop it in to a small container of alcohol and write the date on the container. Keep the container to show to the vet should your pet begin to have symptoms of a tick related illness. Some symptoms are; swollen joints, loss of appetite, lameness and/or tiredness. Wash your hands with soap and water and then clean the bite area with antiseptic. Remember to clean the tweezers with alcohol as well. Watch the area for irritation or infection. If you suspect either, call your vet.