How to Treat Tick Bites on Dogs

Ticks are parasites that feed on mammal blood, and ticks affect all kinds of animals, including dogs. Ticks carry deadly diseases such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, encephalitis and tularemia, according to the Partnership for Animal Welfare. Removing a tick and treating the wound helps prevent the spread of those diseases, says dog trainer and breeder Norma Bennett Woolf.

Things You'll Need

• Tweezers
• Surgical gloves
• Tick scoop
• Needle
• Soap
• Water
• Antiseptic cream

Instructions

1. Check your dog regularly for ticks on his head, ears, armpits and thighs.

2. If you find a tick, remove it with a pair of tweezers if it is not embedded in your dog's skin.

3. If the tick is embedded, pick it up while wearing surgical gloves, or use a tick scoop, available at most pet stores. Use a needle to remove an embedded tick head from a dog’s skin.

4. Wash the bite area on the dog’s skin thoroughly with soap and water, and apply antiseptic cream. Allow the cream to soak into the dog’s skin. Reapply as necessary until the wound is healed.

Tips & Warnings

• Petroleum jelly, alcohol and hot match heads are not useful in removing a tick from a dog.

• Monitor your dog closely after tick removal. If your dog seems ill, take him to the vet, as the tick may have been carrying a disease.

References

• The Partnership for Animal Welfare: Fleas, Ticks, Mosquitoes–Prevention and Treatment
• Norma Bennett Woolf: The Critters on Our Critters