Help! My shih tzu puppy has a tick!?

Question

I was giving my puppy a bath and I found something under his eye and by his nose. I took a comb and tried to pull it off and the I found out it was a tick!!!!! We pulled it out with tweezers well part of it I think. I think the head is still stuck and I don't know what to do! Can some please help my puppy? It looks like it hurts! Thanks!

Answer 1

If part of the tick is still embedded in your puppy's skin it can get infected. Take it to the vet to make sure it is completely removed and get advice for tick prevention.

How do you know for sure you got the entire tick out? Take your dog to the vet! Better safe than sorry. Also, ticks carry disease, so you might want to get you dog tested.

Tick removal tips according to veternarians Foster and Smith:

To remove an attached tick, use a pair of fine-tipped tweezers or special tick removal instruments. These special devices allow one to remove the tick without squeezing the tick body. This is important as you do not want to crush the tick and force harmful bacteria to leave the tick and enter your pet's bloodstream.

1. Grab the tick by the head or mouth parts right where they enter the skin. Do not grasp the tick by the body.

2. Without jerking, pull firmly and steadily directly outward. Do not twist the tick as you are pulling.

3. Using methods such as applying petroleum jelly, a hot match, or alcohol will NOT cause the tick to 'back out.' In fact, these irritants may cause the tick to deposit more disease-carrying saliva in the wound.

4. After removing the tick, place it in a jar of alcohol to kill it. Ticks are NOT killed by flushing them down the toilet.

5. Clean the bite wound with a disinfectant. If you want to, apply a small amount of a triple antibiotic ointment.

6. Wash your hands thoroughly.

Please do not use your fingers to remove or dispose of the tick. We do not want you in contact with a potentially disease-carrying tick. Do NOT squash the tick with your fingers. The contents of the tick can transmit disease.

Once an embedded tick is manually removed, it is not uncommon for a welt and skin reaction to occur. A little hydrocortisone spray will help alleviate the irritation, but it may take a week or more for healing to take place. In some cases, the tick bite may permanently scar leaving a hairless area. This skin irritation is due to a reaction to tick saliva. Do not be worried about the tick head staying in; it rarely happens.

Answer 2

Try using rubbing alcohol to loosen the head and whatever is left. if that doesn't work you should really take him to the vet.

Answer 3

Rub it with rubbing alcohol. This will pull out the head and you can discard the tick. Take him to the vet to have him tested for lyme disease, which ticks carry.

Dr. Dog

Answer 4

is the head is still in there you are now going to have to take it to the vets..as it may get infected..in future...get in tweezers..heat them with a lighter..then squeeze the tick..gently twist it..not to fast..then heat and repeat..do this about 5times...and twist a little more each time..eventually the tick will just let go..head and all..then burn the head..they will die..i do it on my cocker spaniel, and hedgechog..its fine, just make sure you HEAT IT..dont just pull it...good luck x*x if you didnt get the legs on this one..then you must take it vets as head may still be inside  xx