I removed a tick with tweezers, tried my best to get it all out but to my amazement it was so strongly attached that I thought I was going to hurt my kitty, so the head remained stuck in the skin. I applied antibiotic ointment to the area, should I avoid touching the area, can I get lyme?
2006-10-31 13:19:24 · 11 answers · asked by silver wings 4 in Pets ➔ Cats
DO NOT burn the tick off, that is the complete wrong way to get a tick out. not only can the tick release lyme disease into your animal if its carrying it, its just not a safe thing to do. if the head of the tick is still in your cat i would take it to the vet asap.
you are supposed to pull out the tick perpendicular to the skin with forceps.
2006-10-31 13:33:01 · answer #1 · answered by Vet 2 B 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you think that you have a good chance of still removing the head to the tick, then you could have someone hold your cat while you try to remove the head. The best way to hold your cat is to grab by the scruff of the back of the neck, and hold tight. You may think that this is going to hurt your cat, but it want. I worked with cats, and for the vet to do an exam or give shots that is what we had to do. If you believe there is no way of getting the head out then maybe you should apply a layer of fingernail polish over the head. This smothers anything. You can also keep applying the anti-cream to possibly help the area from getting an infection. If you notice that the area is beginning to look infected then you should probably make a trip to the vet. They will probably prescribe your cat an oral antibiotic. I wouldn't worry to much about the Lyme disease, and nothing to worry about when it comes to petting and loving your kitty.
2006-10-31 14:01:28 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Put alcohol on a cotton ball and dab the head of the tick with it and it will come out. You should remove the ointment from the cat unless it was prescribed by your vet. You should not avoid your cat you wont catch anything. And try using Advantage or Frontline in the future to avoid this from happening again. Good Luck KG
2006-10-31 13:25:22 · answer #3 · answered by kgreives 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, you're in no danger but expect some discomfort for kitty. A ticks head stays alive and tries to burrow if left in, causing a welt to appear and becoming very itchy. I wouldn't be surprised if your cat actually dislodges the head with his/her claws from scratching so best just to let nature take it's course. Good luck.
2006-10-31 13:25:53 · answer #4 · answered by Sphinx 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What about your cat getting Lyme's disease?? If the head of the tick is still in the cat, it needs to be REMOVED, preferably by a DVM, immediately!!
2006-10-31 13:23:22 · answer #5 · answered by Nikki T 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you can't get any tick bourne diseases from dead ticks, they must actually attach themselves to you for you to be at risk, hozever, the head still being in the cat could be dangerous, keep an eye on the area and if you notice it starting to swell, take her to the vet as it may be an abcess starting to form.
2006-10-31 13:24:30 · answer #6 · answered by tismy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well i don't know about getting lyme disease but i know i better way to get rid of ticks. use fingernail polish and dab it on the tick. let it dry and come back to it later (approximatley 30 min.) the nailpolish should be dry and the tick should be suffocated and loose.
2006-10-31 13:53:23 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was raised in the country and there is one sure way to get a tick out, strike a match then blow it out while it is still hot stick it to the ticks butt , trust me he will back out every time.
2006-10-31 13:22:16 · answer #8 · answered by lvwire 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can't leave the head in. If you can't get the head out on your own then take the cat to the vet.
2006-10-31 13:27:57 · answer #9 · answered by sexmagnet 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you need to get the head off asap. if your too scared to do that then get the cat to the vet so they can do it.
2006-10-31 13:51:56 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋