Our question this week was:

I removed a tick from my Weimaraner, but the head detached and stayed in...any worries? Should I just keep an eye on it, put anything on it?

Krystal Wellhouser


Answer

Hi – thanks for your email. Your email read that you removed a tick from your dog but the head of the tick stayed in your dogs skin. Your question is – should you be worried?

The biggest concern is the risk of infection at the site. If you just removed it and can see the head, it might be possible to remove gently with a pair of tweezers.

Otherwise, there is not much you can do. The tick head may fall off eventually. The biggest concern is that it is possible that an infection or abscess could develop at the site. Signs of a problem include redness, swelling, pain and discharge. If you see those signs, I'd recommend seeing your veterinarian. They may need to clip/clean and possibly lance and drain the area.

For now, you could keep the area clean. You could use an antibiotic ointment topically. Check the area twice day for signs of problems.

If you are concerned now, then you should make an appointment to see your veterinarian.

An article that might be helpful to you is on our Petplace.com is "How to Remove and Prevent Ticks in Your Dog".


Best of luck!



Dr. Jon


P.S. I love learning from my clients. Do you have any tips about this problem or any other general pet tips? I'd love to read it and maybe will even include it in future newsletters. Send me your pet tips!



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