How-to guide

How to Remove a Tick From a Dog or Cat

The safe way to remove a tick from your pet with tweezers or a tick tool, what not to do, what to do if the head stays in, and how to prevent ticks.

Updated October 2026 · 5 min read · By the Hushku editorial team · 2 sources

Short answer

Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible with fine-tipped tweezers or a tick removal tool, and pull straight out with slow, steady pressure. Don't twist, jerk, squeeze or crush the tick, and don't use matches, petroleum jelly or nail polish. Clean the bite and your hands, and remove ticks as soon as you find them, as the longer a tick feeds, the higher the risk of disease.

Key facts

Grip the tick close to the skin and pull straight out with steady pressure.
Don't twist, squeeze, burn or smother the tick.
Lyme usually needs 24–48 hours of feeding to transmit, so remove ticks fast.
Check your pet after every walk in long grass or woodland.

Overview

Ticks can spread diseases including Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis to dogs and cats, and some of these also affect people. The Companion Animal Parasite Council notes that Lyme bacteria usually need 24 to 48 hours of feeding to transmit, so prompt removal makes a real difference.

Check your pet after every walk in long grass, woodland or brush, running your fingers through the coat and paying attention to the head, ears, neck, armpits, groin and between the toes. A tick feels like a small, hard bump.

What you need

Fine-tipped tweezers or a tick removal tool
Regular tweezers can squeeze the tick's body.
Disposable gloves
Protect yourself from tick-borne infections.
Antiseptic or soap and water
To clean the bite and your hands.
A sealable container or tape
To dispose of the tick.
A helper and treats
To keep your pet still and calm.

Step by step

1
Keep your pet still
Have someone hold your pet gently and offer treats. Put on gloves and part the fur so you can see where the tick enters the skin.
2
Grip the tick at the skin
Grasp the tick with the tweezers as close to your pet's skin as possible, around its head and mouthparts, not its swollen body. With a tick hook, slide it under the tick from the side until the tick is held in the slot.
3
Pull straight out, slowly
Pull upwards with slow, steady, even pressure. CDC and CAPC both advise against twisting, jerking or squeezing, which can leave mouthparts behind or push infected fluid into the bite.
Careful: Don't burn the tick, or smother it with petroleum jelly, nail polish or alcohol while it's attached. This can make it regurgitate into the bite.
4
Dispose of the tick
Put the tick in a sealed container with alcohol, wrap it tightly in tape, or flush it away. Don't crush it with your fingers.
5
Clean up
Clean the bite with antiseptic or soap and water, and wash your hands well. Check the rest of your pet, and yourself, for more ticks.
6
Watch for signs
A small red bump at the bite is normal for a few days. Over the following weeks, watch for lameness, fever, lethargy or poor appetite, and see your vet if any appear.

Common mistakes

Squeezing the tick's body
Why it backfires: It can push infected fluid into your pet.
Do this instead: Grip at the skin, around the mouthparts.
Panicking about the head
Why it backfires: If mouthparts stay in, the skin usually pushes them out as it heals; digging can cause infection.
Do this instead: Leave small remnants and watch for swelling or infection.
Using dog tick products on cats
Why it backfires: Some contain permethrin, which is highly toxic to cats.
Do this instead: Use a product made for cats, recommended by your vet.

Sources

We check guides against veterinary sources and update them when guidance changes. How we write and review.

Questions.

Should I keep the tick?

Usually not necessary, but some people keep it in a sealed container with the date, in case your pet becomes ill. Testing ticks isn't generally recommended.

When are ticks most active?

Often spring and autumn, but ticks can be active whenever temperatures are above freezing, which is why year-round prevention is advised.

Can I get Lyme disease from my dog?

Not directly, but dogs can bring ticks into the home, where they may bite people.

Key facts

Overview

What you need

Step by step

Keep your pet still

Grip the tick at the skin

Pull straight out, slowly

Dispose of the tick

Clean up

Watch for signs

Common mistakes

Squeezing the tick's body

Panicking about the head

Using dog tick products on cats

Sources

Questions.

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