Unlike fleas, dog ticks don't live and breed inside carpets and upholstered furniture. This makes removing them from your home as simple as removing them from your dog. But be careful; removing dog ticks improperly can lead to infection around the bite area. Here are some tips for safely removing dog ticks from your dog and home.
Prevention Is the Best Cure
The best way to keep dog ticks out of your home is to practice good preventative measures, including:
- Use a topical flea and tick preventative medicine, such as Advantage.
- Check your dog daily during the warm seasons, especially right after he's been outside.
Have the Right Equipment
If you do need to remove ticks from your dog, here are some of the things you'll need to have on hand:
- Rubber gloves
- Tweezers
- Dish soap
- Mineral oil
- Disinfectant or antibiotic cream
Use the Right Technique
Here's the best way to remove a tick from your dog's skin:
- Upon finding a tick, cover it with a few drops of mineral oil. This causes the tick to release your dog. This is important because if you pull the tick off before it releases its grip, the head could remain embedded in your dog's skin and cause an infection.
- Pull of the tick with tweezers or your fingers. Drop it in a jar of mineral oil or soapy water.
- Rub the bite area with antibiotic or disinfectant cream, gel or liquid.