Safe & Effective Tick Removal from Dogs: A Step‑by‑Step Guide

Things You'll Need

• Liquid soap

• Toliet paper or cotton ball

• Rubbing alcohol

Warning

If a red circular rash appears around the bite area, contact a veterinarian immediately.

Tip

You can remove ticks with tweezers, but you must remove a tick by pulling straight out firmly so you don't leave the tick's head inside the dog's body.

All ticks are parasites that feed off of a host. Ticks are small and grow larger as they engorge with blood from the host. Ticks can carry disease. You must remove the whole tick; do not leave any part of the head embedded inside of the dog's body.

Step 1

Pour a teaspoon of liquid soap on a wad of toilet paper or cotton ball.

Step 2

Hold the toilett paper with the soap over the tick firmly for up to a minute. The tick will begin to smother and it will back out on its own.

Step 3

Grab the tick with the toilet paper when it backs out and place it in a jar of rubbing alcohol to drown it.

Always check with your veterinarian before changing your pet’s diet, medication, or physical activity routines. This information is not a substitute for a vet’s opinion.