CANINE FIRST AID AND EMERGENCY CARE

By: Dr. Mike Lappin, DVM

TICKS

Can carry diseases such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Lyme, Ehrlichia, and Babesiosis. Ticks embed only their mouth parts into the skin. It is not possible for a tick's head to get left behind in the animal's skin but it is possible for the area to become infected or irritated and swollen. Mouth parts may be left in bite area. They are "glued" into the skin when the tick attaches.

First Aid Treatment:
The best treatment is prevention - use flea/tick sprays and check the animal over after every trip into the fields or woodlands.
1. Pull the tick with constant pressure using tweezers if possible. "Ticked OFF"
2. If available, apply flea and tick spray first
3. Do not burn or apply any other chemicals to the tick while it is in the animal's skin
4. Avoid touching the tick with your bare hands and flush it down the toilet
5. Apply antibiotic ointment to the area if you would like