Tick head stuck in puppy

[bb239605]

So we took our new puppies out hiking on Friday the 13th and checked them good (or at least I thought) for ticks. Wound up finding one on our lab puppy tonight behind his ear. I attempted to pull it, messed up, squeezed the ticks body and left part of the head behind (all no no's when removing a tick).

So I am worried for the little pup since I heard Lyme disease affects puppies more than adult dogs. I cleaned the area with rubbing alcohol and put some neosporin on it. It is quite red and slightly swollen.

Do I have reason to worry? I havent got them their lyme vaccines yet either but they are on a heartworm/tick preventative. The last thing I want is to have a puppy get lyme disease and be arthritic for life all because I messed up pulling out a tick when it was 16 weeks old. Not to mention the smwbo would be quite disappointed in me that I messed up her little puppy.

I plan on calling the vet in the morning too. I assume she'l just put him on antibiotics...

 

[ButcherBoy]

This happened to me a couple of years ago, I just watched the site for infection, it turned out fine. Look in your local pet store for a small device called a 'TicKey', it is a little aluminum thingy with a teardrop shaped hole in it. When you find a tick on the pooch you get the tick into the hole and slide the teardrop so you can pop the ugly thing right out. I was really skeptical it would work... right up until I used it, it has worked like a charm every time I've used it. In all the years I've been taking ticks off my dogs, and myself, the is the best thing I've seen to get them out whole and easy. Good luck.

 

[Homercidal]

Keep an eye on it. The head might cause an infection.

As far as Lyme disease, it's too late to prevent it at this point. Just hope the tick as not infected.

 

[Yooper]

Lyme Disease is carried by deer ticks- tiny tiny ticks that are very hard to see. They are a bit bigger than the head of a pin. That's one reason they can give disease- they are so darn small that you don't see them under they've been imbedded a long time.

I would bet that your dog has a common wood tick. Wood ticks are not enjoyable, but aside from some infection possibilities they are pretty innocuous.

 

[CreamyGoodness]

I'm not even going to TELL you where I found the tick after a weekend camping when I was 15. In my terror I just ripped it off, and the only lasting effect is I'm still as crazy as I used to be.

Have you tried using very narrow needle nose pliers to try to pop the head out? You might be able to get it without hurting the puppy if you are careful.

 

[bb239605]

Well I got out what I could. Other than that it has become a scab and I'm applying topical antibiotic ointment. after reading only about ten percent of dogs get exposed to Lyme and of that only about 3 percent get the disease.

Chances are good he is fine. Just have to be a little more careful next time.

 

[jaysbrewing]

Just apply neosporin to it daily it will work it's way out. My dog got Lyme disease from a deer tick. But my guess is that if you actually were able to see the tick it was just a basic wood tick. So no worries and do what was listed above. Unless your dog gets sick I wouldn't over react to much - vets will charge off the yinyang.