Hedgehog Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 how to identify it for a start, and how to deal with it effectively? Our dog is a rough-coat GSD and I was just running my hands over her fur as usual (she likes a good massage :001_smile: ) and I came across a lump on her skin. I accidentally knocked some of it off - a bit that seemed rather crusty and came out with some fur attached to it. I wondered if it was a wart at first but what's left there on the skin is more smooth than that. Then when I went to take a closer look it seemed like a small brown/grey thing embedded in her fur. I sorta poked at it and she squeaked at me so it's obviously uncomfortable for her. As she's a rough-coat it's not that easy to see her skin and the fur in this particular area is black. Can anyone help me out? Or the tick out!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katemary63 Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 If it looks like this, it's a tick. Just grab it and yank it out. I do it all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted August 27, 2010 Author Share Posted August 27, 2010 Katymary.. thanks.. that's a lot clearer than what I can see on my dog's skin. And also a little :ack2: It seems to hurt her when I touch it.. what should I do to help her? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 If it looks like this, it's a tick. Just grab it and yank it out. I do it all the time. :iagree: Yank it out even if it hurts. Then buy some Frontline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted August 27, 2010 Author Share Posted August 27, 2010 Yank it out even if it hurts. Then buy some Frontline. This is where I have to show tough love.. right.. :sad: We use Frontline every month :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paz Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 If you haven't removed it yet, use tweezers and try to gently pull close to the skin so you get the complete tick out. You can clean the area with rubbing alcohol. You can also save the tick in a small jar with a little rubbing alcohol if you need to identify it later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted August 27, 2010 Author Share Posted August 27, 2010 use tweezers and try to gently pull close to the skin so you get the complete tick out That - and the pain I'm probably going to cause her - is something I'm really worried about. I read someplace that if you leave the head in you can cause an abscess :eek: Poor baby, I just hate this and am scared of doing it wrong but I can't leave the wretched thing in her skin. I ought to have called myself Mouse, not Hedgehog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 (edited) If you haven't removed it yet, use tweezers and try to gently pull close to the skin so you get the complete tick out. You can clean the area with rubbing alcohol. You can also save the tick in a small jar with a little rubbing alcohol if you need to identify it later. You also need to be very careful not to squeeze the swollen body of the tick, as if you do that, the toxins inside the tick can be transferred through the tick's mouth into your dog -- and if the tick is carrying any disease, that's not a good thing. Make sure you use good tweezers, and try to hold your dog's skin taut around the area where the tick is located, and then pull it out. Otherwise, you'll hurt your dog -- it seems like they have a LOT of skin when you're pulling out a tick and trying not to hurt them,) and it will be almost impossible to get the tick out. I have found that pulling the tick straight out, rather than at an angle, seems to get the head out more effectively. Also, be fairly quick about it. It seems like the more you mess around with the tick, the more it embeds itself in the dog's skin. If your dog tends to struggle, can you get your husband to help you, so one of you can hold the dog while the other removes the tick? Cat PS. Once you pull the tick out, check the tiny hole where its head was, and if it looks pink or red, you probably got it all out. If there's a black dot in the middle, the head may still be in there. Edited August 27, 2010 by Catwoman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paz Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 You can do it. Just start to pull slowly and you will feel it kind of give and removal should be easy. We had a huge infestation when we first moved. Our flea/tick treatment didn't work with the specific ticks in our area (huge cattle ticks). We've had a lot of practice, unfortunately. I have had ones that weren't removed completely and it cleared up o.k. with no problems. Everything should be fine. If someone can hold the dog still for you it will help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
achristean Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 My mom used to cover the area with oil. Does anyone know if that really works? It was meant to suffocate the tick and make it want to come out by itself. Also, my mom would put the tick in a jar lid and burn it. Yuck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheryl Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 If you haven't removed it yet, use tweezers and try to gently pull close to the skin so you get the complete tick out. You can clean the area with rubbing alcohol. You can also save the tick in a small jar with a little rubbing alcohol if you need to identify it later. Yep, first of all have someone to help you hold the hair back, it's just easier. Then you can focus on pulling it off with tweezers. Make sure to dispose of it properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 I got mine from the UK Lyme disease awareness charity. It works brilliantly to get the whole tick out - I've used it on the dog and also on my own family. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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