Endo- and ectoparasites can make life difficult for many dogs and affect their health.
Ticks have their peak season in the summer.
And when removing a tick, it may happen that the tick head got stuck on the dog.
The following guide will tell you what you can do and whether there is any reason to worry.
In a nutshell: tick head stuck in the dog – is that bad?
Has a tick head stuck on the dog? Then there is usually no reason to worry, because the tick head usually grows out on its own.
What is still there is ultimately only the sucking apparatus of the parasite, without which the tick cannot survive.
This no longer grows back from the tick that has fallen out, it dies.
Things are a little different when the area around the tick’s head becomes inflamed and you see swelling and/or redness of the surrounding skin.
Then you should definitely visit your vet to be on the safe side. Because inflammation can be associated with a dangerous infectious disease.
How do I know if the tick head has been completely removed?
You can tell whether the tick head has been completely removed by whether there is still a small, black dot in the dog’s skin or not.
If this is not the case, the tick has been completely removed. But if you see this black spot, the tick’s head or suction device is still stuck in the dog’s skin.
Tick head stuck in the dog – what to do?
If the tick head got stuck on the dog, you should wait and see first Easier said than done, we know that.
Keep an eye on the area and see if any inflammation is developing here. If this is not the case, the tick head or the suction device should fail on its own.
Already knew?
A tick’s head can get stuck even if the dog has run into a sharp object with the tick and has separated the tick from the suction device.
Can I remove the tick head myself or should I have a vet do it?
You can remove ticks from your dog yourself using special tick tweezers. With this you twist the tick out at the base between the body and head.
Please do not try to pull the tick out – this increases the risk of the head getting stuck.
Why it is like that? Because three crucial factors decide how hard the tick could bite into the dog’s skin:
- the number of suction barbs on their proboscis
- the length of their biting or sucking apparatus
- the amount of cement/adhesive it has delivered to the skin
Is your head still stuck? Then you should only try to carefully unscrew it with tick tweezers or tweezers when it is clearly visible and easy to grab.
Is not that the case? The head of the tick is deeper in the skin and cannot be easily removed with tweezers or tick tweezers?
Then we strongly advise against poking around in the dog’s skin with these and other pointed objects.
If the spot around the tick head that got stuck is not inflamed, your well-intentioned intervention can quickly change that because you accidentally injured the skin.
It is best to let nature take its course and trust that your dog will recognize the tick head as a foreign body that will grow out on its own.
In this case, you do not have to go to the vet.
When should I take my dog to the vet for a stuck tick head?
On the other hand, do you notice that the tick head got stuck and is now inflamed in the dog?
And herself the Inflammation spread further within a few hours or days has? Then you should definitely go to the vet.
They can remove the tick’s head and also give you something to treat for the infection.
Because it may well have happened that the tick was infected with a dangerous pathogen and passed it on to the dog through its bite.
Important
Among other things, ticks can transmit Lyme disease and FMSE – diseases that affect the nervous system, heart and brain and can be fatal.
Conclusion
Summer is the peak season for ticks. It can happen that when removing the tick, the head of the tick gets stuck in the dog.
If a tick head got stuck on the dog, that’s it no reason to worry. The remaining suction apparatus of the parasite usually grows out on its own.
As long as the area isn’t severely infected, you can wait it out and don’t have to go to the vet.
If you have the impression that the inflammation is spreading further, a visit to the veterinarian is inevitable.
What experiences have you had with your dog and ticks? We’d love for you to share these and other helpful tips with us in the comments!