Tick Removal

Ticks are blood sucking parasites, the most common of which, in the UK, are the sheep and hedgehog ticks. These ticks are less dangerous in the UK than in many overseas countries. There is some evidence that when the tick bites onto the skin the host can develop Lyme disease, this can occur in both humans and animals, however it is more commonly seen in the USA.
Ticks are more commonly found in long grasses, fields where sheep have been, moorland and woodland. The hedgehog tick can also be found in your garden from infested nests and burrows of hedgehogs. Most of the ticks that are found in the UK are "hard ticks" meaning that they have a hard shell to protect them.

The first sign that you will see of a tick on your pet is a small grey dot which has attached itself to your pets skin. As the tick feeds on the blood of the animal it gets larger, many people mistake it for a wart or lump that has suddenly appeared on their pet. When the tick has fed it can be as big as a pea or bean, making it fairly noticeable on your pet. They are commonly found when the pet is being groomed.

The tick can cause problems in your pet, ranging from infection or an abscess where it is attached through to transmitting serious diseases. If you try to remove a tick quite often the mouthparts are left behind, this can lead to infection occurring or an abscess forming. Either way a trip to your veterinary surgeon is necessary. In untreated puppies a severe infestation of ticks can cause severe blood loss (anaemia) and sometimes even death. Ticks can also transmit infectious diseases to both humans and animals, so treatment is necessary. Some of these diseases can be possibly life threatening. As was stated previously with the tick in the UK these diseases are rare, but it is always better to be aware of what can happen. Do not wait for the tick to fall off, get advice on how to remove them first.

If you are going to an area where you suspect there may be ticks then it is possible to treat your pet before you go. Pets which come into close contact with sheep and hedgehogs should be treated regularly to prevent infestation. There is a very good article here about various tick removal tools and a Vets opinion of them, if you are unsure about removing a tick then please see a Vet.