How to Check Your Pet For Ticks

Ticks aren’t only harmful to humans, they can cause our furry friends to become ill. This is why you should regularly check your pet for ticks after the have been outside. It doesn’t matter if they haven’t been in high grass or in a tree lined area. The tick is a tricky little parasite that can find its way on to your pet in a short period of time. This guide will help you determine the best way to find and remove ticks from your pet.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Tweezers
• Comb

1. When checking your pet for ticks, the best place to start is at the head. Begin by checking along the snout and especially through the whisker area. Ticks love to hide in places where they are hard to find. Also check the underside of the snout. Ticks will often burrow their way into this area where they are not noticed for several days.

2. The second place to check your pet for ticks is in and around the ears. Don’t just look at the outside of the ears. Take the additional time to peer inside your dog's ears to see if any ticks might be hiding in there. Ticks are usually small when they first attach themselves so it may take a while to thoroughly check your pet.

3. With your pet standing, begin examining its back for ticks. Start at the neck and slowly work your way toward the tail. If it’s possible at this time also check your pet’s sides for ticks as well. It’s easiest to do this while the pet is standing. If your pet has dense fur, consider using a wide tooth comb to aid in the process. Gently comb the pet’s hair and if you come across a snag it may be a tick. Remember you must do this with a gentle hand because you don’t want the pull the tick out with the comb and leave pieces behind. Using a comb will also help catch any ticks that might be in the fur that haven’t attached yet.

4. Roll your pet over onto its back. Dogs usually love this while cats don’t enjoy being on their back, so be prepared for a fight. Start by examining the pet’s neck and work your way down the pet’s body. Be sure to check in the underarm area as ticks like to attach themselves there. Also be sure to check under your pet’s collar. This is another hiding place where ticks try attaching themselves.

5. After you have completely checked the pet’s body for ticks it’s time to move on to the legs. The legs are a high target area for ticks and should be thoroughly checked after each trip outdoors. Run your handover the legs to feel for ticks. They usually feel like a pebble when they are small. Pay special attention to the pet's paw pads and in between the toes.

Tips & Warnings

• There are a lot of things you can do to help your pet avoid ticks. Consider having your lawn sprayed with a flea and tick killing pesticide. This is very helpful in areas near woods. Also use flea and tick drops from your vet. One of the most popular is Frontline. One more thing you can do is to check your pet thoroughly after each trip outside. If you can catch the tick while it is small it will be easier to remove.
• If you find a tick on your pet don’t under any circumstances remove it with your fingers. Don’t attempt to burn it off. Use a pair of tweezers to gently remove the tick from the pet’s skin. It will only take a little extra time but you can make sure you get the entire tick out rather than leaving parts behind.