How do you correctly remove a tick??? Also is it normal for there to be a red bump where one has been removed?

Question

My dog got a tick and i friend of mine removed it. Now where the tick was is a red raised bump. I ve never seen a tick bite so im not sure if this is normal.

Answer 1

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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 the irritating and destructive tick saliva. It is not due to the tick losing its head, literally. Do not be worried about the tick head staying in; it rarely happens. The swelling is due to toxic saliva, not toxic heads.

Hope this helped.

Answer 2

I am not sure what the area should look like after the tick is removed but if your dog ever gets another tick, take a match and ignite it. Let it burn for a few seconds then blow it out. Touch the end of the hot match to the butt of the tick and it will release and back out. We did it to my dog and he was fine. I do remember the area being red and irritated but as far as a bump, the head might still be in there depending on how your friend removed the tick. The tick has to release and back out, if you just pull it of the head will detatch and stay in your dog causing infection. Hope I helped a little.

Answer 3

The bump is normal. The best way to remove the tick is to use tweezers and grab it as close to the skin as possible and then pull it out quickly. Putting a little antibiotic ointment on is not a bad idea either. You will want to start using a flea and tick prevention product to prevent more tick bites. Ticks can carry diseases but they aren't common in all areas. Check into what diseases you might have to worry about in your area (Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Erlichiosis). Generally, if you got the tick off within 24 hours you don't have to worry about disease transmission. If you are concerned you may be able to get a prescription for Doxycycline from your vet without a lot of expensive testing for the disease since the blood tests aren't that reliable anyway.

Answer 4

to correctly remove a tick... there are several methods. easiest to remove a tick (in a pet) is sit on floor with dog laying in your lap with a pair of tweezers in one hand. have a small jar open nearby. find the tick, flip it over with the tweezers so the legs are up in the air, and remove backwards in a fluid motion. (means don't be shaky)

another method is to put a dab of rubbing alcohol on the tick and it is supposed to back right out. personally i think putting that stuff on your pet is mean though and i don't really know if that one works. also i wont touch a tick with anything but tweezers, they are creepy to me.

the red bump could be a reaction to the tick being removed or the head is still inside. your best bet is to look at what is left of the tick and see if you can see the head on it. don't worry to much if you cannot see the head of the tick cause they are pretty small. if you don't have access to the dead tick, just watch the spot for a couple days. if the bump gets worse call a vet. they will be able to tell you what the best course of action.
good luck

Answer 5

You remove a tick by grasping it with forceps (tweezers) at the head or as close as possible, and gently pulling it straight out. The trick is not to leave the tick's head under the skin, as this can cause infection and complications. If you think the head might still be under the skin, call your vet to get it looked at to see if it needs to be taken out - it may or may not. Also, ticks can carry what's called Lyme disease, a bacterial infection that can be serious. Watch your dog for signs of fever, loss of appetite or unexplained lameness (sore paws or legs). Again, talk to your vet about this -- they will be able to explain it all much better than I can in a posting. Hope this helps!!

Answer 6

Good question. I haven't ever seen any on my dogs but I have had the on me. I remove them with a cigarette. A few times I've had to pull them of and because they were too deeply imbedded the heads came off. That is a bad thing if your alone for sometime in the bush.If it didn't all come off it will be a red spot but with a magnifying glass you should be able to get it all. Use rubbing alcohol a few times a day and if the spot scabs over soak the scab and remove it. If the red spot get 3/4 times bigger you'll have to get antibiotic from the vet as the head might still be in there.

Answer 7

No its not. You can remove a tick by using petroleum jelly and
and wait till it backs out and then you remove it before it goes in somewhere else. Never take a tick out and leave the head in because in can go in further and cause an infection. In the book i have is to twist it out. Make sure you get the head out so it won't go it deeper and cause problems for your dog.
Good Luck.

Answer 8

It is normal for there to be a bump. Also, you should have your dog checked out by a vet. Ticks spread disease.

Answer 9

I've always been told to light a match, blow it out, then immediately put it down on the tick's back, so that he will back out and not leave his head in the wound.