K9 by Draw It Out® dog safety guide
Found a Tick on Your Dog? What to Do Next
Remove an attached tick promptly, record when and where you found it, monitor your dog, and ask your veterinarian about local tick risks and year-round prevention.
Quick answer: Use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick-removal tool. Grasp the tick as close to your dog's skin as possible, then pull slowly and steadily upward. Do not crush, burn, smother, coat, or twist the tick. Clean the area and your hands, save the tick or take a clear photo if your veterinarian may want it, and watch your dog for changes.
What should you do first when you find a tick?
Keep your dog still and part the coat so you can see where the tick meets the skin. Put on disposable gloves if they are available. Good light matters, especially around the ears, eyelids, collar line, armpits, groin, toes, and tail base.
If the tick is crawling and not attached, lift it away with tweezers and place it in a sealed container. If it is attached, remove it promptly. The CDC advises daily tick checks for outdoor pets and prompt removal of any attached tick.
How do you safely remove a tick from a dog?
- Expose the attachment point. Part the coat and keep hair out of the tweezers.
- Grip close to the skin. Use fine-tipped tweezers or a purpose-made tick-removal tool. Avoid squeezing the swollen body.
- Pull slowly and steadily. Use even upward traction until the tick releases. Do not jerk, twist, or crush it.
- Clean up. Wash your hands and clean the bite area with mild soap and water or a pet-safe product your veterinarian recommends.
- Record the bite. Note the date, location on your dog, and where your dog may have picked it up. Save the tick in a sealed container or take a clear photo if your veterinarian wants identification.
Cornell's canine guidance also recommends grasping an attached tick close to the skin and using slow, steady traction. See its current Lyme disease guidance for dogs.
What should you never put on an attached tick?
Do not use petroleum jelly, nail polish, essential oils, gasoline, kerosene, alcohol, heat, a lit match, or household chemicals to make a tick detach. These methods can delay removal, irritate the skin, or expose you and your dog to unnecessary risk. Do not squeeze the tick with bare fingers.
What if part of the tick appears to stay in the skin?
Do not dig deeply into your dog's skin with a needle or sharp tool. If you cannot remove the tick cleanly, the area is difficult to reach, your dog is painful or reactive, or you are unsure what remains, contact your veterinarian. A veterinarian can examine the site and tell you what follow-up is appropriate.
What should you watch for after a tick bite?
A small irritated spot can occur where a tick was attached. Check it daily without picking at it. Call your veterinarian if redness, swelling, heat, discharge, pain, or a lump is worsening.
Call your veterinarian promptly if your dog develops unusual tiredness, reduced appetite, fever, limping, stiffness, joint swelling, vomiting, enlarged lymph nodes, or a marked change in thirst or urination after a known or possible tick exposure. Signs linked with tickborne illness can be delayed, so keep your date and location notes.
Seek urgent care for collapse, trouble breathing, seizures, severe weakness, pale gums, uncontrolled bleeding, or rapidly worsening signs.
Where should you check for more ticks?
- In and around the ears and eyelids
- Under the collar and along the neck
- Under the front legs and around the groin
- Between every toe and around the paw pads
- Along the belly, tail base, and under the tail
- Anywhere the coat is thick, dark, matted, or difficult to see through
After tall grass, brush, leaf litter, camping, or trail time, pair the check with the dog check after tall grass. Keep tweezers, gloves, a small container, and your veterinarian's number in a dog first-aid kit.
How do you reduce the chance of another tick bite?
Ask your veterinarian which tick preventive is appropriate for your dog's age, weight, health history, location, and lifestyle. Follow the label exactly. No preventive replaces hands-on checks, especially after time in grass, woods, leaf litter, campsites, barns, and yards.
Keep grass trimmed, remove leaf litter, stay near the center of maintained trails when practical, and check dogs before they enter vehicles, bedding, or the house. For more everyday inspection routines, visit the K9 dog-care hub.
Does a K9 by Draw It Out® product fit this situation?
Draw It Out® K9 topical products do not remove ticks, prevent tick bites, or address tickborne illness. Do not apply a comfort or skin-care product over an attached tick or a fresh bite site unless your veterinarian specifically recommends it. Tick removal, veterinarian-directed prevention, and medical evaluation when signs appear come first.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly should I remove a tick from my dog?
Remove an attached tick as soon as you can do so safely. Prompt removal reduces attachment time and gives you a clear starting date for monitoring.
Should I twist a tick when removing it from my dog?
No. Grip the tick close to the skin and use slow, steady upward traction. Avoid twisting, jerking, crushing, or squeezing the tick's body.
Should I save the tick after removal?
A sealed tick or clear photo can help your veterinarian if identification is useful. Note the date, the bite location on your dog, and where exposure may have happened.
Does every tick bite make a dog sick?
No. A tick bite does not mean a dog will become ill, but dogs can develop tickborne diseases. Monitor for changes and ask your veterinarian about risks in your area.
When should a veterinarian examine a tick bite?
Contact your veterinarian if you cannot remove the tick, the site worsens, or your dog develops fever, tiredness, appetite changes, limping, stiffness, swelling, vomiting, or other unusual signs.
Sources: CDC, Preventing Ticks on Pets; CDC, April 23, 2026 tick activity statement; Cornell, April 2026 dog tick guidance.
