# Sheep tick removal



## LisaZonda (Oct 14, 2011)

Hi all,

I'd like to know what method other people use for removing sheep ticks.

I know lots of people who swear by putting a few drops of alcohol on the tick, leave it for a hour or so then gently remove, making sure you don't leave the head in.

I've just been looking online and some are saying to remove them with tweezers, others are saying never use tweezers!

I don't doubt for one minute that at some point Nikita will get one as we're in a very rural place and my other dogs used to get them sometimes.

Also, I've read something about them causing Lyme disease, I've never heard anything about it so just wondered if anyone else knows some information about this?


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## Kinjilabs (Apr 15, 2009)

Frontline will make them drop off, never try to pull it off as the head will stay in


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## lucylastic (Apr 9, 2011)

Tick removal with O'TOM /TICK TWISTER - Vidéo Dailymotion

I use one of these.
Luckily we don't get too many around here and I've only had to use it once. It does remove the whole tick safely.


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## smokeybear (Oct 19, 2011)

Index:Correct Tick Removal: BADA-UK

Look on this site for information on Lyme Disease and how to remove ticks

Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases: BADA-UK


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

LisaZonda said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I'd like to know what method other people use for removing sheep ticks.
> 
> ...


On the continent its not just lymes disease you need to worry about, There is also things like Barbesiosis which is known in France and tick borne.
I actually did a thread ages ago, about taking your dogs abroard for people from the UK going on holiday to the continent. Ive copied and posted it for you from the original.

LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes

#1 (permalink) 22-12-2010, 05:39 PM 
Sled dog hotel 
Pet Forums VIP Member Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: London
Posts: 11,186

Taking your dog abroad, The Health risks.

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As Pet Passports and taking your dogs abroad has become more popular,there has been a rise in incidence of foreign diseases not heard of in the U.K. Before. I found a interesting article and thought it might be of interest to anyone considering it or anyone that has taken their dog abroad and has illnesses of problems that may be confusing vets.

LEISHMANIASIS is caused by a protazoan parasite that effects dogs and humans. Canine disease is widespread in areas popular with tourists, estimates show 10% dogs are effected in southern europe. It has a long incubation period and can show symptoms many months after exposure. It is transferred by the phlebotomas sandfly that inhabits mainly wooded areas. Treatment is difficult does not produce permanent cure and there are no licensed drugs available in the U.K. The symptoms are skin lesions and renal failure.

DIROFILARIASIS is caused by the filarial nematode (threadlike worm) Dirofilaria immitis (heartworm) the worm is transmitted by mosquitoes in much of southern europe and extending into northern france, Northern Italy is another hot spot. Incubation of infected larvae injected into a dog can take 6/7 months to cause disease,treatment is difficult and no licensed drugs are available in the U.K. No product can totally prevent insect bites and owners are advised to keep pets in at night to reduce risk. Dirofilariasis results in the growth of parasitic worms within the heart and vascular system.

BARBESIOSIS is caused by 2 strains of protozoan infection, babesia carried by 2 different types of ticks. The ticks are widespread in europe and are active from spring until autumn especially south and west of France. Disease transmission most usually occurs after the tick has attached for 48hrs but it can occur more rapidly. Ticks can spread babesiosis, ehrlichiosis,hepatazoonosis (causing fever,lethargy and emanciation) and Lyme Disease (a form of arthritis with other consequences) Barbesia attacks red blood cells (anaemia) and is sensitive to treatment, there are no licensed products in the U.K.

EHRLICHIOSIS (Causing fever and typhus) this is a bacteriaspread by ticks, which causes severe anaemia, the infection affects the liver, spleen,bone marrow and red blood cells. It is the less well known of the diseases and can be acute or chronic, with some animals recovering spontaneously and others progress to a intractable chronic phase. It is also known as canine typhus and canine haemorrhagic fever.

If your pet becomes ill shortly (weeks to months) after returning to the U.K.
from abroad inform your vet. If you find a tick attached while abroad seek advice from a local vet straight away.

ETA as regards the UK this is from an article in Dec 2010 originally, so treatment may now be available in the UK.


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## Manoy Moneelil (Sep 1, 2011)

Like any subject education is the cure to myth, old wives tales and folklore.

The "head" of the tick does not enter the body from which it is sucking blood. Only the protruding mouth parts enter the host body.








We use tweezers that I've modified slightly to allow a good grip at the tips but still leave a good gap between the two arms of the tweezers. A few strokes of a nail-board (sand-paper) along the inside of the tweezer's tips IME improves grip on the head of the tick where it touches the skin.

The idea is to always have a firm grip at the end but to never squeeze the body of the tick. If you squeeze the body the risk is that you force tick digestive juices and any parasites within it into the blood stream of your dog before you have disengaged and removed the tick from your dog's skin.

I heard from good sources to apply an anti-clockwise force as you remove the tick but equally guidance that says a straight gentle pull.

After pulling out the tick with a steady slow pull I use a bottle dropper with iodine solution to treat the resultant wound. Then keep an eye on that point during the following week. Over the past 4 years in a rural environment this has been totally fine for our dogs.

The removed tick goes in a fire or crushed into the earth, and yes they pop and that can result in a blood splash, yuck very Yuck ! :cursing:

When we did have "tick season" I found them during the frequent ad-hoc inspections that I've written about before as well as normal grooming, but before embarking on removal: Always offered the tweezers to the dog's nose so he 'understands' what we're doing. It's always been trained like this and IME results in a dog that lays without fuss while this is being done.


























Further reading: Purdue Pest Information | Medical | the biology and medical importance of ticks in indiana

I've seen various types of Tick Pullers or Plastic Spoon type devices like this....








....but for me I find tweezers more flexible and easier to get at the ticks found between toes, near eyes and in ears.

That said since feeding raw garlic once a week we have not had any ticks for ages.


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## gesic (Feb 19, 2009)

Use tick removers.
Do Not use alcohol or vasaline to smother the tick. This can cause the tick to vomit which increases the risk of contracting blood bourne disease such as Lymes.


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## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

I've got a natty tick removing pair of tweezers that I've had for years. They work brilliantly.


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## Saddie (Feb 13, 2012)

I am a volunteer for BADA-UK we are a self funded charity that raises awareness about ticks and the diseases they carry...mainly Lyme Disease. Removing the tick correctly is very important. Below is a link to our Tick Bite Prevention Week we run every year....hopefully you will find all you need to know...if you have any other questions feel free to post, and I will try to answer them as soon as possible....

Tick Bite Prevention Week 2012


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## Manoy Moneelil (Sep 1, 2011)

Saddie said:


> Tick Bite Prevention Week we run every year....hopefully you will find all you need to know...if you have any other questions feel free to post....


Hello Sadie,

Nicely presented web-site with useful PDFs.

One point you might consider is the use of the word 'infective', although I fully understand this word has been chosen to express the concept of "_Being capable_ of causing infection." rather than the more definite adjective 'infectious', it just occurred to me while reading that the later is probably more accessible to the average reader.

"Puncturing the body of the tick can spill its stomach contents, which may contain infective organisms."

"Puncturing the body of the tick can spill its stomach contents, which may contain infectious organisms."

Just a thought


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## Mum2Heidi (Feb 17, 2010)

Try this, it's much safer and easier :-

How to remove a tick


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Manoy Moneelil said:


> Hello Sadie,
> 
> Nicely presented web-site with useful PDFs.
> 
> ...


Im assuming that your comment "It just occured to me while reading that the later is more accessible to the average reader."

and then giving the two examples, of the existing one and your preferred one

You in fact didnt mean later, but instead latter as in former and latter!!

Whoops!!:001_tt2:

Try looking up Nit and picking on Wiki!! and the origin of the meaning people in glass houses should not throw stones


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## Saddie (Feb 13, 2012)

Sled dog hotel said:


> Im assuming that your comment "It just occured to me while reading that the later is more accessible to the average reader."
> 
> and then giving the two examples, of the existing one and your preferred one
> 
> ...


 no worries, trust me I have done similar before...but just good to know you have read our website.


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## Saddie (Feb 13, 2012)

Mum2Heidi said:


> Try this, it's much safer and easier :-
> 
> How to remove a tick


I apologise if a second reply comes up to this, as my 14 week old cocker pup decided to help me do some computing!!!!

Ok, so anyway the clip you have linked to...is really wrong. Sorry but you should never remove a tick like that. The ticks defence mechanism is to regurgitate it's gut contents, bacteria and all in to the host, then retract out. So yes the tick comes out but it has possibly infected your dog. The national average is that 1 in 3 ticks are infected with Lyme Disease. You should never touch the tick as they can pass on diseases to you through cracks in your skin..or if you touch your mucus membranes etc. I have attached a link that shows the correct tick removal ways. I volunteer for a self funded charity that raises awareness about Ticks and the diseases they carry. We only ever give out best practice. I apologise if I have repeated myself, I am currently trying to keep an eye on over 30 forums, so can forget what I have already said.

Tick Removal

Home page: BADA-UK


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