Ticks on dogs: prevention and removal
A tick on your dog comes off quickly: slide a tick hook flat against the skin, twist without pulling until it lets go, then disinfect. The longer it stays attached, the higher the risk of disease: the right move is to take it off early and cleanly.
Spotting the tick
Focus on the warm, damp spots, where ticks like to latch on. A fine comb helps you flush out the smallest ones, almost invisible to the naked eye.
Removing the tick
Work in good light, with a tick hook (not nail tweezers, not your fingers). If your dog struggles, or if the tick sits near an eye, the mouth or an eyelid, stop and leave it to the vet.
Part the hair around the tick
Clear the area so you can see the skin and the base of the tick.
Slide the tick hook flat against the skin
Bring the slot of the tool in from the side, as close to the skin as possible, under the body of the tick.
Twist without pulling
Unscrew gently, either direction, it makes no difference. Let the tick come away on its own: it is the rotation that releases it, pulling would snap the mouthparts off in the skin.
Check that it all came out
Make sure the tick is whole, head included, and do not 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: mouthparts on their own do not transmit disease. What counts is how long the tick stayed attached, not a fragment left in the skin: that is what the CDC (the American public health agency) and ESCCAP (the European scientific council of reference on parasites of dogs and cats) both say. Do not dig to get it out: disinfect, keep an eye on the area, and see the vet only if local redness or swelling sets in and persists.
Prevention, 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.
0 / 4A canine Lyme disease vaccine exists: this disease, passed on by a tick bite, most often causes a lameness that shifts from leg to leg, sometimes a fever. It remains optional, to be considered according to the risk, reserved for highly exposed dogs, for instance those living in a region where the disease is common or spending a lot of time in forests. It never replaces the parasite treatment or the checks: whether it is worth it is a conversation with your vet, according to ESCCAP and the WSAVA, the world small animal veterinary association.
Keeping watch after removal
Keep an eye on your dog in the days and weeks after a bite: some tick-borne diseases show up late (ESCCAP GL5, 2024).
Keep an eye on
- Redness or slight swelling where the bite was
- The dog licks or scratches the area
See the vet
- Fever, listlessness, loss of appetite
- Lameness or stiffness that comes and goes, painful joints (often linked to Lyme disease)
- Nosebleeds or unexplained small spots on the skin: can point to ehrlichiosis or anaplasmosis, other tick-borne diseases
Your dog is completely flat, he no longer gets up, he no longer eats, and his urine is abnormally dark (orange, brown, "cola" coloured): in tick season or in a tick area, that points to babesiosis (a tick-borne disease that destroys the dog's red blood cells): it can get worse very fast and threaten his life.
Do this right now
- Call the vet or the emergency clinic right away
- Note when the tick was removed and describe what you are seeing
- Keep the dog calm on the way there
The assistant never replaces a vet. When in doubt, call.
- ESCCAP — Guideline GL3 (7th edition, January 2022): control of ectoparasites in dogs and cats (2022)
- CDC — Tick removal guidance (2024)
- ESCCAP — Guideline GL5: vector-borne diseases (2024)
- WSAVA — Vaccination Guidelines (2024)
Going further
Frequently asked questions
How do you remove a tick from a dog?
With a tick hook slid flat against the skin: you twist without pulling until the tick lets go on its own, then you disinfect with soap and water. No fingers, no 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 on its own. The risk of disease climbs with the time it stays attached, but not at the same speed for every disease: some start being passed on within a few hours, others take almost a whole day. Either way, do not take chances: remove it as soon as you spot it, which is why it pays to check your dog after every walk.
What if a tick is badly removed and a bit of head stays in the skin?
It is not an emergency: a fragment of mouthparts does not transmit disease on its own. Above all, do not scratch the skin to get it out, it is that 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, petroleum jelly or a flame can make it regurgitate and raise the risk of transmission. Take it off directly with a tick hook, without putting anything on it first.
How do you prevent ticks in dogs?
A licensed parasite treatment kept up all year round (collar, spot-on or tablet, chosen with your vet) plus a check after every outing. For highly exposed dogs, a Lyme vaccine exists as an addition, never as a replacement, to be discussed with your vet.
What symptoms should you watch for after a tick bite?
In the days or weeks that follow: fever, listlessness, loss of appetite, lameness that comes and goes. Heavy listlessness with very dark urine points to babesiosis and means calling the vet as an emergency.
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