Just took a tick off my friend's pup.

I have two different ones, the O'Tom type and the 'Pincer' type - both were useless on a less than co-operative dog and I used a needle nose tweezers in the end.

But I'd lke to get a tick remover to carry with me that actually works.  Needle nosed pliers is a bit long and thin for constant carrying round.  And this is the second time the other two have let me down.

So... which one do you find is the bees knees?

I've just taken 2 ticks off Willow with ordinary human tweezers. It was a two man job though.

I've never had a problem with the O'Tom type - but I have two sizes, small and large which makes it easier. I always manage it by myself apart from the time that Tara had one on her eyelid :(

How about trying the lasso type ? Lasso type tick remover

Now that lasso type remover looks good.  But any remover I use has to not have a button to press at the back.  it's why I can;t get to griips with the Pincer type - the button press at the back.

I have very small hands and carpel tunnel syndrome and it's a stretch to reach back there and press whist keeping everything together :(

Maybe I need the two sizes of o'tom?

I can't use the tweezer-type of tick remover for love nor money - I'm far too cack-handed now - but have no problem with the O'Tom.

I use this one.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ancol-Tick-Remover-for-Dogs-/171387221938?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Cats&hash=item27e77977b2
no buttons to press. I find it works even on very small ticks.

I've actualy never forcibly removed a tick. I just put a drop of frontline on the tick and leave it to drop off, usually in about 24 hours. Works for me :)

Dawn R.

I use ordinary tweezers on the small ones, but resort to the the O'toms for the big'uns. Haven't had to pick too many off this year as we don't get them at home, but when we go to our static on the Suffolk coast, there are loads on the heathland. I've resorted to a Seresto collar this year and it does seem to have been pretty effective.

Think I need to get the green o'toms, the one I have is clear, came in a dog first aid kit and seems too shallow to work properly, they just slide about :-(

Add an extremely unco-operative dog and it's pointless.

The Ancol one looks promising too, but how does it work?

I've only ever seen the green O'Toms, so I can't vouch for any of the others.

I use the green O'Toms.

Never leave home without mine they are my finger nails quick grip under the tick twist and pull and out the beastie comes head and all :)

I usually get mine out with my fingers, just a quick twist and off they come. I do have the green tom o tick remover and find it works very well.
Its finding the blighters on my heavy double coated breed that's the problem !!
I have pulled about 10 off the girls in the last 2 days....the perils of nice long walks in the woods and fields where the deer frequent !
That's why I usually groom every evening sat in the lounge watching the telly ;-)
Aileen

You may be interested to know that Public Health England (formerly Health Protection Agency) have an on-going Tick Recording Scheme, see http://www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/InfectiousDiseases/InfectionsAZ/Ticks/TickRecordingScheme/ for full details.  They invite members of the public to send ticks to them for research.

"The primary aims of the recording scheme are to:

promote the surveillance of ticks in GB
monitor tick distribution on a nationwide scale
determine the diversity of ticks commonly infesting humans and animals
detect exotic/unusual tick species." (quoted from site referenced).

I'm sure they'd love to add ticks from CD-ers' dogs to their collection :) .

But they'd have to be sent whole. And squashing them is sooo satisfying.....

Chucking them on a BBQ is exciting too. They explode after a couple of minutes. Very satisfying. :-)

>The Ancol one looks promising too, but how does it work?

Put the wire loop over the tick and move itn so the tick goes into the narrow part of the loop. When it gets to the end just pull and the tick comes off. If you pull too hard it can ping off into the distance but if you do it gently it stays in the loop. I then wrap it in tissue and soak it in flea spray and bin it. I am too squeamish to squash them. and I hate touching them so I cant use my fingers to remove them. This is the best tick remover I have found. Much easier that trying to get tweezers underneath it. Especially if the tick is small.

> But they'd have to be sent whole. And squashing them is sooo satisfying.....

Ah yes, the thought of sending live ticks through the post is a bit icky;  I (used to) squash the unattached ones and pour boiling water on the fatter ones, however I'll pass on the fun in the interests of science ;) . 

> Ah yes, the thought of sending live ticks through the post is a bit icky;

I reckon if you are adept, you could stick them to a bit of sellotape, and then send them. If you could bear the idea of having live ticks around. The best tool has always been my fingernails - I'm sure I've mentioned before when my cat acquired a horde of tick nymphs, most about pinhead size and far too small to be removed any other way.

> I reckon if you are adept, you could stick them to a bit of sellotape, and then send them.

I'm not sure that they like them squashed and sticky - they ask for them in crushproof screwtop containers and say they can supply suitable vials.  I sympathise about your cat: my then pup stuck his head into a nest of just-hatched ticks, it took 2 of us twenty minutes to pick them off him, and when we got home I took another dozen off him.  Horrid things.

I think that, over the years, I've tried everything you could think of.  But, some years ago, I bought the pack of 2 green O'Toms and didn't expect something so cheap to be any good.  I think they are the best invention ever.

Dill, I've had carpal tunnel ops and almost all my tendons done on my fingers, so I "lost my pinch" I think they describe it as, but even I can get on great with O'T's.

PS (Now I've lost my pinch I have to be satisfied with putting the nut on people.)  ;-)

Thanks for that everyone, I think I'll  be getting a new pair of o'toms asap.   I've a feeling most of my  problems have been because of the one I've got being too  big.

I have to say, I'm slightly horrified by those of you who use your fingernnails    And those who crush them - ick ick ick!

Perhaps I've taken this too seriously?

http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/about-ticks/tick-removal/

I gave my friend their tick in a piece of sellotape to take to  the vet, to check whether we got it all out.  Pup was so unco-operative it was a nightmare, think it's ok, but better safe than sorry :-)

Jean, I sympathise.   It's a PITA  :-(

I've had both my hands/wrists done.  It's been partially successful.

I can do up buttons and no longer drop a knife and fork so I can eat nicely again :-)

But feeling is variable, I still get pins and needles.  Sewing is precarious, I have to see the needle and can't feel the cotton at all.

Watercolour painting is interesting, sable brushes fly about with depressing regularity, so quite a challenge :-)

Clipping not too bad, as long as I don't do it for too long or too regularly ;-)
But it could be much worse  :-)

> I think that, over the years, I've tried everything you could think of. But, some years ago, I bought the pack of 2 green O'Toms and didn't expect something so cheap to be any good.  I think they are the best invention ever.

Got a sneaking suspicion that even O'Toms won't do nymphs. They are tiny, tiny, tiny.
One of those things - until you've been there, you can't fully understand the horror! LOL

Another vote for fingers, or rather nails. Get down to skin level and twist and they come out complete. Dogs are so used to it they sit still and always want to see what I have pulled out!

Just had a lightbulb moment - I wonder if a simple metal needle threader would work on the tiny nymphs?

I have trouble using my nails for tiny things, but one of these might be worth carrying, the metal loop is fine enough to go through the eye of a needle so should get between the nymph and skin :-)

My dogs alaways want a 'look' too :-) - just like kids :-D

I read somewhere that you can use a human hair in a similar way - and you've (usually!!) got one with you. Never had need to try it though.

ive got this type at the moment
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQJNSk_iQpxL4nF-MELbJhSejJcE7V-oFBYaWLX4KG2H84bTw9r7w
have used it once and had to squeeze the end of it to make it smaller first. dam thing didnt want to come out, are they ment to easerly come out? i had to realy yank when i used this. i did the twist as you pull gently like it said but it wouldnt come out untill i realy pulled it

I've taken loads of ticks off dogs - 40 or so  a day from our Tibetan Terrier in Ireland!  

Haven't seen many in Wales, but those I've dealt with came off easily enough with the twist and pull method :-)

The problem this time was a very unco-operative pup and a useless owner.   And the Tick wasn't engorged so was very slim  Had it been a little fuller, it would have worked with the Tick remover.

Have heard back from them, took the Tick to the vets and it's all there, so nothing left in the dog.  Haven't lost my touch LOL

Jo,

With the tweezers, I really had to pull as well as twist, and it was difficult.  Pup's skin came with it too so a bit of a trial - needed six hands!

With the o'tom type, (and a slightly bigger Tick) it was just a case of locate the tick remover and twirl it, tick comes away easily.

It actually takes longer to describe ;-)

Jo
Agree with Dill that the Tom is easy peasy.  I haven't ever needed to pull.  Once the twirl is finished you have the complete thing just hanging there wiggling!

Does help if the dog isn't leaping around like tigger and trying to bite though ;-)

Practically impossible to use anything under those circumstances :-(

Am hoping this is a wake up call for the owner, and she will now start actually training the pup to accept being handled, and some obedience.

I use the Tom o'tick but have used this method before and is so easy and works really well. Make sure you have a tissue to hand to catch the little blighter
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-remove-a-tick/

Wow. If I hadn't watched the video, I wouldn't have believed it.

That's one method I'd never use.

Various medical agencies around the world warn against doing anything that may make the tick regurgitate the contents of its stomach.  There are are few diseases you can get from Ticks - even in the UK
[url=]
http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/about-ticks/tick-removal/[/url]