How do you remove a tick from a dog?

Use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick-removal tool. Part the fur, grip the tick as close to your dog's skin as possible, and pull straight up with slow, steady pressure. Do not twist. Clean the bite and your hands afterward, and dispose of the tick without crushing it.

What if the tick's head stays in my dog?

If the mouthparts break off and stay in the skin, try to lift them out with clean tweezers. If they will not come out easily, leave them alone: the skin usually pushes them out on its own in a few days. Watch for redness, swelling, or oozing, and call your vet if the spot looks infected or your dog seems unwell.

Can I use my fingers or does the tick need a special tool?

Do not use bare fingers: squeezing the body can push infected fluid into the bite. Fine-tipped tweezers work well. A dedicated tick-removal tool (a small hook or slotted spoon) is easier in thick fur and helps you get close to the skin.

Should I put anything on the tick before removing it?

No. Nail polish, petroleum jelly, soap, or a burning match are old methods that do not work and can make things worse by keeping the tick attached longer or making it regurgitate. Prompt physical removal is the safe method.

What should I do after removing a tick from my dog?

Clean the bite, note the date, and watch the area for a couple of weeks. Signs to call your vet include limping, lethargy, fever, loss of appetite, or a swollen, oozing bite. Ask your vet about tick-borne disease testing and prevention if your dog is bitten often.

How to Remove a Tick From a Dog

Found a tick on your dog? The safe method is simple: grip it close to the skin with fine-tipped tweezers and pull straight up. Do not twist, and do not use a match or nail polish. Here is the step-by-step, plus what to do if the head stays in.

Step by step

Same method works for a tick anywhere on your dog, ears and paws included.

1
Grasp the tick close to the skin
Use clean, fine-tipped tweezers and grip the tick as close to the skin surface as you can, by its head or mouthparts, not the swollen body.
2
Pull straight up with steady pressure
Pull upward with slow, even pressure. Do not twist or jerk, which can snap the mouthparts off and leave them in the skin.
3
Keep pulling until it releases
Keep steady tension. A well-attached tick can take several seconds to let go. Let it release rather than yanking.
4
Clean the bite
Wash the bite area and your hands with soap and water, or rubbing alcohol.
5
Dispose of the tick
Do not crush it with your fingers. Put it in alcohol, seal it in a bag or tape, or flush it. Saving it in a sealed bag can help a doctor or vet if symptoms appear.

If the tick's head stays in

Sometimes the mouthparts break off and stay in the skin. Try to lift them out with clean tweezers. If they will not come easily, leave them alone: the skin usually works them out in a few days, much like a splinter. Keep an eye on the spot and call your vet if it turns red, swells, or oozes, or if your dog seems off. See our guide to a tick head stuck in the skin for more.

The tools that actually work

Fine-tipped tweezers

Pointed tweezers, not the flat cosmetic kind, let you grip right at the skin. The most reliable tool for most people.

Tick-removal hook or spoon

A slotted hook slides under the tick and lifts it out. Handy in thick fur, where getting tweezers to the skin is hard.

Skip the gadgets that heat or smother

Anything that burns, freezes, or coats the tick works against you. Steady mechanical removal is what the guidance supports.

Pulling ticks off your dog every walk?

Most dogs pick ticks up in their own yard. A single barrier treatment knocks down the ticks where your dog plays. Get a free, no-obligation quote from a vetted local tick-control pro.

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Removing a tick from a cat

The method is similar, with a few cat-specific cautions.

Read the cat guide →

Which tick is it?

Identify the tick you removed and see what it can carry.

See the tick guide →

Frequently asked questions

How do you remove a tick from a dog?: Use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick-removal tool. Part the fur, grip the tick as close to your dog's skin as possible, and pull straight up with slow, steady pressure. Do not twist. Clean the bite and your hands afterward, and dispose of the tick without crushing it.
What if the tick's head stays in my dog?: If the mouthparts break off and stay in the skin, try to lift them out with clean tweezers. If they will not come out easily, leave them alone: the skin usually pushes them out on its own in a few days. Watch for redness, swelling, or oozing, and call your vet if the spot looks infected or your dog seems unwell.
Can I use my fingers or does the tick need a special tool?: Do not use bare fingers: squeezing the body can push infected fluid into the bite. Fine-tipped tweezers work well. A dedicated tick-removal tool (a small hook or slotted spoon) is easier in thick fur and helps you get close to the skin.
Should I put anything on the tick before removing it?: No. Nail polish, petroleum jelly, soap, or a burning match are old methods that do not work and can make things worse by keeping the tick attached longer or making it regurgitate. Prompt physical removal is the safe method.
What should I do after removing a tick from my dog?: Clean the bite, note the date, and watch the area for a couple of weeks. Signs to call your vet include limping, lethargy, fever, loss of appetite, or a swollen, oozing bite. Ask your vet about tick-borne disease testing and prevention if your dog is bitten often.