Health & preventionPart of · Health & prevention

Ticks on dogs: prevention and removal

Q: How do you remove a tick from a dog?

With a tick hook slipped right against the skin: you turn without pulling until the tick lets go on its own, then disinfect with soap and water. No fingers or nail tweezers, and above all no oil or alcohol before removal.

6 min read

A tick spotted on your dog is quick to remove with a tick hook slipped right against the skin: turn without pulling until it lets go, then disinfect. The longer it stays attached, the higher the risk of disease, so the right move is to take it off early and cleanly.

Spot the tick, quickly

Where to run your hands after every walk

The ears and around themThe neck and under the collarThe armpitsBetween the toes and padsThe groin and bellyAround the eyes and muzzle

Focus on the warm, damp spots, where ticks like to attach. A fine-toothed comb helps you find the smallest ones, almost invisible to the eye.

Remove the tick, step by step

Work in good light, with a tick hook (not nail tweezers, not your fingers). If your dog struggles, or if the tick is near an eye, the mouth or an eyelid, stop and leave the job to the vet.

Part the hair around the tick

Clear the area well so you can see the skin and the base of the tick.

Slip the tick hook right against the skin

Slide the slot of the tool in sideways, as close to the skin as possible, under the body of the tick.

Turn without pulling

Unscrew gently, in either direction, it doesn't matter which. Let the tick come away on its own: it's the rotation that releases it, whereas pulling would break the mouthparts off in the skin.

Check that it all came out

Make sure the tick is whole, head included, and don't crush it between your fingers.

Disinfect the area

Clean with soap and water or a suitable antiseptic, then wash your hands.

A small piece of head left in the skin is not an emergency: the mouthparts don't transmit disease, the risk is tied to how long the tick was attached, not to a fragment (CDC; ESCCAP GL3, 2024). Don't dig to extract it: disinfect, keep an eye on the area, and see the vet only if redness or local swelling sets in and persists.

Prevent, all year round

The best day-to-day prevention comes down to two things: not letting the tick settle in, and taking it off early.

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Routine kept up

A canine vaccine against Lyme disease exists, but it's an optional, risk-based tool, reserved for dogs that are heavily exposed (endemic areas, hunting dogs). It never replaces the parasite treatment or the checks: whether it's worthwhile is a conversation to have with your vet (ESCCAP GL5, 2024; WSAVA, 2024).

Keep watch after removal

Keep an eye on your dog in the days and weeks after a bite: some tick-borne diseases show up with a delay (ESCCAP GL5, 2024).

Keep an eye on

Redness or a small swelling at the bite site
The dog licks or scratches the area

See the vet

Fever, low energy, loss of appetite
Limping or stiffness that comes and goes, painful joints
Nosebleeds or unexplained little spots on the skin

Marked lethargy with unusually dark urine (orange, brown, "cola" coloured), after a tick season or in a tick area, points to babesiosis: it can worsen within a few days.

Do this right now

Call the vet or the emergency clinic straight away
Note when the tick was removed and describe what you're seeing
Keep the dog calm during the journey

Call your vetor an animal poison control centre — without delay.

The assistant never replaces a vet. When in doubt, call.

ESCCAP — Guideline GL3: control of ectoparasites in dogs and cats (2024)
CDC — Tick removal guidance (2024)
ESCCAP — Guideline GL5: vector-borne diseases (2024)
WSAVA — Vaccination Guidelines (2024)
ACVIM — Consensus on canine Lyme borreliosis (2018)

To go further

parcoursHealth & preventionThe path to keep your dog in good shape all year round.View the path

Frequently asked questions

How do you remove a tick from a dog?

With a tick hook slipped right against the skin: you turn without pulling until the tick lets go on its own, then disinfect with soap and water. No fingers or nail tweezers, and above all no oil or alcohol before removal.

How long does a tick stay attached to a dog?

Once attached, it can feed for several days before dropping off. Since the risk of disease depends on how long it stays attached, you don't wait: remove it as soon as you spot it, which is why it's worth checking your dog after every walk.

What should you do if a tick is badly removed and a piece of the head stays in the skin?

It's not an emergency: a fragment of mouthparts doesn't transmit disease. Above all, don't dig to extract it, that's the scratching that causes infection. Disinfect, keep an eye on the area, and see the vet if redness or swelling sets in and persists.

Should you put oil or alcohol on a tick before removing it?

No. Oil, alcohol, ether or a flame make the tick regurgitate, which increases the risk of transmission. Remove it directly with a tick hook, without applying anything to it first.

How do you prevent ticks in dogs?

An approved parasite treatment kept up all year round (collar, spot-on or tablet, chosen with your vet) plus a check after every outing. For dogs that are very exposed, a Lyme vaccine exists as an add-on, never as a replacement, to discuss with your vet.

What symptoms should you watch for after a tick bite?

In the days or weeks that follow: fever, low energy, loss of appetite, limping that comes and goes. Marked lethargy with very dark urine suggests babesiosis and means calling the vet urgently.

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