The head of the tick remained in the dog: what to do and what threatens the poison if it remains in the salivary glands of the parasite

Where are ticks found

Ticks prefer moderately moist, shady forests. They wait for their prey, sitting on high (from 7 cm) grass. Most pests are on overgrown lawns, in ravines, along the edges of roads and paths.

Why are ticks dangerous for dogs?

Ticks are carriers of infections that are deadly to dogs.

Among them:

All of these diseases often have blurred symptoms, which greatly complicates the diagnosis. The owner may not associate lethargy and lack of appetite with a tick attack, and therefore the visit to the doctor is delayed, precious time is lost, and the dog begins to receive treatment only at an advanced stage of the disease.

When and where to look for ticks in fur

Inspection of the dog in order to detect ticks on its coat and skin should be carried out after each walk. Recently, pests are increasingly attacking in the urban environment, so even a simple walk in the park can be dangerous.

After contact with the victim, the tick crawls from the bottom up, looking for an area with thinner skin. Therefore, the bloodsucker should be looked for primarily in the following areas of the dog's body:

After finding a parasite, you should not stop searching - there may be several of them on the dog's body. In addition, the tick may not have time to stick and be on the animal's fur. To detect a pest on the hairline, it is necessary to comb the dog with a fine comb. It is better to do this on a light surface: if the pest falls out of the wool during the process, it can be easily seen.

What to do if the dog does not allow you to pull out the tick

If the animal in the process of extracting the tick is worried and interferes with the process, it means that it hurts. It is necessary to anesthetize the bite site with a solution (not an injection!) of lidocaine.

The drug is sold in the form of a spray, it is safe and can be used without a doctor's prescription.

Sedative drugs should not be used without medical advice. It is advisable to remove the tick together: one will hold the animal, and the second will deal directly with the extraction.

How to pull out a tick yourself with the help of different devices

It is recommended to remove a tick in a medical institution, but this is not always possible, and you cannot hesitate in this matter. There are several ways to remove a pest at home. Regardless of the method of extraction, it is necessary to follow the safety rules: carry out the procedure only with medical gloves, do not put pressure on the parasite and do not pull it. After the end of the procedure, treat the wound with a disinfectant solution: iodine, alcohol, brilliant green, chlorhexidine.

What to do if the head of the tick remains in the body of the dog

What threatens if the head of the tick remains in the body of the dog

However, the outcome may be different: a foreign object causes inflammation, the formation of a fistula with purulent contents. In such a case, you should contact your veterinarian. Depending on the severity of the specific case, the doctor will prescribe antibiotic therapy, surgical cleaning of the wound under local anesthesia, and subsequent antibiotic therapy.

Pulled a tick from a dog what to do next

Prevention of tick-borne infections is not limited to the removal of the pest.

Bite site treatment

The wound should be treated with any agent that has a disinfectant effect. The following medications are suitable:

• iodine;
• alcohol solution;
• zelenka;
• hydrogen peroxide;
• chlorhexidine.

What to do with a tick

The extracted bloodsucker is recommended to be submitted for laboratory analysis in order to identify its infection with tick-borne infections. Based on the results of the study, the doctor will draw up a further plan for prevention and treatment.

However, it is important to understand that the detection of a virus in the body of a tick is not a guarantee that the dog will also get sick.

For transportation to the laboratory, the tick with a small piece of moistened cotton wool is placed in a container with a tight lid. The parasite may be stored in the refrigerator for 48 hours until it is sent to the laboratory.

Possible mistakes

Most often, dog breeders make the following mistakes when removing a tick from a pet:

1. They try to pull out the pest by force, pull out and crush the tick. Sudden movements will cause the head of the parasite to come off and remain under the skin. In addition, if you act carelessly, the tick may be crushed, which will increase the likelihood of infection, not only for the dog itself, but also for people around.
2. Pour the pest with oil, gasoline, kerosene. Why this is not possible has already been discussed above.
3. They do nothing, they are waiting for the tick to fall off by itself. In fact, after saturation, the pest will fall off and, most likely, will go to lay eggs. However, the longer it is on the body, the higher the likelihood of dangerous viruses entering the body.

Caring for your dog after tick removal

Within 10-14 days, you must carefully monitor the dog. If you experience the slightest symptoms indicating a disease (loss of appetite, lethargy), you should contact your veterinarian and report a tick bite. Especially dangerous are symptoms such as fever, discoloration of mucous membranes and urine.

How to protect yourself from ticks

The best cure for ticks is to prevent them from attacking. To prevent the attack of bloodsuckers, the following is recommended:

• conduct inspections after each walk;
• use personal protective equipment, repellents and acaricides in the form of collars, sprays, aerosols, drops;
• if the dog walks in a private area, you need to prevent it from being littered with garbage and plant debris.