Here - I found this on the web:
Ticks are a species of parasitic spider {commonly found in long grass or heather in areas where you find deer, cattle, rabbits, and sheep}, and they attach themselves to anything - animals or humans - which happen to brush against them.
They then burrow into the skin and feed - as already stated - on blood, leaving only the body visible: the part you need to grab to remove them.
This looks like a small brownish skin-coloured nodule or wart, around twice the size of this letter: O
The biggest danger while trying to remove them is if you exert too much pressure and "burst" them - which can force poison into the victims' bloodstream causing septicaemia, or "blood poisoning".
The problem with using tweezers is that you don't have any degree of tactile feedback, meaning that it's almost impossible to tell if you're squeezing too hard or not.
By far the best method {in my humble opinion} is to sit your pet - or yourself, if you've been really unlucky! - over a couple of sheets of newspaper and then, wearing surgical-type disposable rubber gloves, do the following:
1} Gripping the body very lightly as close to the skin as possible, pinch and twist in an anti-clockwise direction while pulling outwards very gently.
2} Chances are you won't get it out first time, so repeat the above using a little more pressure. Do it quickly and confidently - just don't apply too much pressure at first.
The objective is to "pinch" as close to the skin as possible, and release the ticks' grip by twisting and pulling - but without squeezing too hard and releasing toxins into the wound.
3} When you do manage to pull the tick out, there are two things you need to do next:
i} Dispose of the tick by either crushing it inside the newspaper {bit fiddly, and anyway - yukk!}, or by putting it down the sink or toilet, and covering it with bleach.
ii} Clean and disinfect the wound by smearing it with Germolene or Dettol antiseptic cream - you'll find it has left a raised "welt" at the puncture site, but this should clear up very quickly within 12 hours or so.
Several friends {who have picked up ticks while hillwalking} have recommended holding a lit cigarette close to {but not touching} the body until it drops out, but although I've tried this myself, I can't honestly recommend it for removing ticks from pets because of their fur.
Hope that helps...... |