Dog Tick Removal & Lyme Disease: How to Remove Ticks Safely and Recognize Tick-Borne Illness

Proper Tick Removal: Step-by-Step

The goal of tick removal is simple: remove the entire tick — including the mouthparts embedded in the skin — as quickly and cleanly as possible, without squeezing the tick's body. Squeezing the body can force the tick's stomach contents (which may contain disease-causing organisms) into your dog's bloodstream.

What You Need

• Fine-tipped tweezers — Pointed tweezers (like those used for splinters) are ideal. The tips should meet precisely. Blunt-ended cosmetic tweezers are too wide and will squeeze the tick's body.
• Tick removal tools — Commercial tick removal hooks (like the Tick Twister or TickKey) are excellent alternatives to tweezers. They slide under the tick and pop it out cleanly.
• Antiseptic — Chlorhexidine solution, diluted povidone-iodine (betadine), or rubbing alcohol for cleaning the bite site afterward.
• Small sealed container — A zip-lock bag or small jar with a damp paper towel to save the tick for identification.
• Gloves (optional but recommended) — To avoid direct contact with the tick, which can theoretically transmit disease through broken skin.

The Correct Technique

1. Part your dog's fur to clearly expose the tick and the surrounding skin.
2. Grasp the tick with the tweezers as close to the skin surface as possible — You want to grip the tick's head/mouthparts, not the engorged body. This is the most important step.
3. Pull upward with steady, even pressure — Do not twist, jerk, or rock the tick. Twisting can cause the mouthparts to break off and remain in the skin. A slow, firm, straight pull is most effective.
4. If the mouthparts break off — Try to remove them with the tweezers. If you cannot, leave them alone — the skin will typically expel them over time, like a splinter. The mouthparts alone cannot transmit disease.
5. Clean the bite area — Apply antiseptic to the bite site. Wash your hands and the tweezers thoroughly.
6. Dispose of the tick — Place it in rubbing alcohol (kills it), flush it down the toilet, or seal it in tape. Do NOT crush it with your fingers. Better yet, save it in a sealed bag in case your vet wants to identify the species.

What NOT to Do When Removing Ticks

The myth that you should "suffocate" a tick with petroleum jelly, nail polish, or other substances is dangerous because it delays removal. Research shows that disease transmission risk increases significantly after a tick has been attached for 24-48 hours. The goal is always rapid, clean removal — not waiting for the tick to detach on its own.

Lyme Disease in Dogs

Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, transmitted primarily by the black-legged tick (deer tick, Ixodes scapularis) in the eastern US andIxodes pacificus on the West Coast. The bacterium typically requires 36-48 hours of tick attachment to be transmitted, which is why prompt tick removal is so important.

Symptoms of Lyme Disease in Dogs

Only about 5-10% of infected dogs develop clinical symptoms. When they do, signs typically appear 2-5 months after the tick bite:

• Shifting-leg lameness — The hallmark sign. Lameness that moves from one leg to another over days or weeks, often worsening and improving periodically. This "shifting" pattern is distinctive.
• Fever (103-105°F) — May be intermittent.
• Lethargy and loss of appetite — General malaise, less interest in food and activities.
• Swollen, painful joints — Joints may feel warm to the touch. Often affects the joint closest to the original tick bite.
• Swollen lymph nodes — Enlarged lymph nodes near the bite site or generalized lymphadenopathy.
• Kidney disease (Lyme nephritis) — The most serious complication. Can cause protein-losing nephropathy with symptoms including vomiting, weight loss, increased thirst and urination, fluid buildup (edema), and ultimately kidney failure. This complication is most common in Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and Shetland Sheepdogs.

Important: Unlike humans, dogs do not develop the characteristic "bull's-eye" rash (erythema migrans) associated with Lyme disease.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is diagnosed with a blood test (SNAP 4Dx or C6 antibody test) that detects antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi. A positive test means the dog has beenexposed — it does not necessarily mean the dog has active disease. Many dogs test positive but never develop symptoms.

• Treatment — A 28-30 day course of doxycycline (the antibiotic of choice). Most dogs improve within 24-48 hours of starting treatment, though the full course is essential to eliminate the organism.
• Monitoring — Urine protein:creatinine ratio should be checked at diagnosis and every 6 months afterward, especially in predisposed breeds, to detect early signs of Lyme nephritis.
• Prognosis — Excellent for dogs with joint disease that is caught and treated early. Poor for dogs that develop Lyme nephritis (kidney involvement).

Other Tick-Borne Diseases

Ehrlichiosis

Caused by Ehrlichia canis (and related species), transmitted primarily by the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) and the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum). Most common in the southeastern and south-central United States.

• Acute phase (1-3 weeks after infection) — Fever, lethargy, decreased appetite, weight loss, bruising/bleeding (petechiae), nasal discharge, enlarged lymph nodes and spleen.
• Subclinical phase — The dog may appear normal for months to years while the organism persists.
• Chronic phase — Can develop bone marrow suppression, leading to pancytopenia (low red cells, white cells, and platelets). This stage can be fatal.
• Treatment — Doxycycline for 28 days. Prognosis is good if caught in the acute phase, guarded if chronic.

Anaplasmosis

Caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum (transmitted by deer ticks — the same tick that carries Lyme) or Anaplasma platys (transmitted by brown dog ticks). Often occurs as a co-infection with Lyme disease.

• Symptoms — Fever, lethargy, joint pain and lameness (similar to Lyme), decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea. Can cause thrombocytopenia (low platelets), leading to bruising and bleeding.
• Diagnosis — The SNAP 4Dx test screens for Anaplasma antibodies alongside Lyme and Ehrlichia.
• Treatment — Doxycycline for 14-28 days. Prognosis is generally good.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF)

Caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, transmitted by the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) and the Rocky Mountain wood tick. Despite the name, it is most common in the southeastern US.

• Symptoms — High fever, lethargy, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea, facial or limb swelling, petechiae (tiny bruises), neurological signs. Can be rapidly fatal.
• Treatment — Doxycycline, started immediately on suspicion — do not wait for test results. Early treatment is critical.

Babesiosis

Caused by Babesia parasites that invade and destroy red blood cells, transmitted by various tick species. Results in hemolytic anemia (destruction of red blood cells), causing pale gums, weakness, dark-colored urine, jaundice, and fever. Treatment involves anti-protozoal drugs (imidocarb dipropionate or atovaquone with azithromycin).

Tick Identification: Know Your Enemy

Prevention

Prevention is far better than treatment when it comes to tick-borne diseases. A comprehensive prevention strategy includes:

• Year-round tick preventatives — Oral preventatives (NexGard, Simparica, Bravecto, Credelio) or topical treatments (Frontline, Advantix) kill ticks before they can transmit disease. Many veterinarians now recommend year-round use, even in northern climates, as ticks can be active whenever temperatures are above freezing.
• Daily tick checks — After walks in wooded areas, tall grass, or leaf litter, run your hands over your dog's entire body. Focus on common hiding spots: ears (inside and behind), between toes, around the eyes, under the collar, groin, armpits, and tail area.
• Lyme vaccination — Available for dogs in high-risk areas. The vaccine does not prevent tick attachment but reduces the risk of Lyme disease if exposed. Discuss with your vet whether vaccination is appropriate for your region and lifestyle.
• Yard management — Keep grass mowed, remove leaf litter, create gravel or wood chip barriers between lawn and wooded areas, and discourage deer and rodent populations (which carry ticks).
• Tick-resistant landscaping — Ticks prefer shaded, moist areas with tall vegetation. Keep play areas sunny, dry, and away from wooded edges.
• Annual screening — The SNAP 4Dx test screens for heartworm, Lyme, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasma simultaneously. Most vets recommend annual screening, especially in endemic areas.

When to See Your Vet

See your veterinarian if:

• You find an engorged tick (large, swollen with blood) — this means it has been attached for an extended period and disease transmission risk is higher
• The bite site becomes red, swollen, or infected
• Your dog develops fever, lethargy, joint stiffness, or loss of appetite within 2-4 weeks of a tick bite
• You notice unexplained lameness, especially the "shifting" pattern characteristic of Lyme disease
• You see any unexplained bruising or bleeding (petechiae on the gums, belly, or inner ears)
• You live in a tick-endemic area and your dog is not on a preventative

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