Your dog has a tick: what do you do?

Tick season is officially underway! Starting in April, when the first eggs hatch, and most active in June and July until slowing down toward the Winter months, ticks can be a big problem and a major concern for pet owners, especially those of us that take our dogs to the park, hiking, or live in more rural or wooded areas, though ticks can be a problem for anyone, anywhere.

And, ticks aren’t just a nuisance – they can be quite dangerous for both you and your dog. In addition to Lyme disease, ticks also carry ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and others. Plus, since there’s no way to tell if the tick that’s attached itself to your dog is carrying one of these diseases, you need to be prepared to remove each and every one of them.

There are a dozen different methods for removing a tick. Some use tweezers, some touch the tick with a hot match, I’ve even seen people use their fingers to twist the tick until it’s dizzy and backs out. But, none of these methods are guaranteed to work. In fact, most often you’re just going to irritate the tick, causing him to dump the contents of his gut into your dog, or break off the body, leaving the head still embedded in your dog’s skin.

Video: 5 Signs Your Dog Has Ticks

So, how do you safely and completely remove a tick from your dog’s skin? With a new product we found called Tick-SR (the SR means “safe release”). Tick-SR is a patented product that dissolves the glue like substance that helps the tick attach to your dog. Normally this glue doesn’t dissolve until after the tick is done feeding. Tick-SR also pushes the blood away from the tick’s feeding tube, also known as the hypostome. Then, after removing the food supply and dissolving the glue, the tick can easily be removed. Tick-SR also contains an antiseptic that destroys bacteria and helps to prevent infection.

Sounds too good to be true, right? I have to admit I was a little skeptical the first time I heard about Tick-SR. However, with my dogs’ lifestyles and love of nature, I knew I’d eventually get the chance to try it out. And that chance came earlier this week at the park.

I’ve been keeping a few of the pre-moistened wipes in my “dog park bag,” a bag I carry with me wherever the dogs and I go that holds poop bags, a collapsible water bowl, a few treats, etc. After a day of hiking through our local nature reserve, we stopped for a water break. That’s when I saw a couple huddled around their dog, looking into her ear, with a worried look on their faces.

Sure enough, Dobby had a tick in her ear! Having never used a Tick-SR wipe before, I wasn’t positive it would work, but gave it a shot anyway. It took about a minute of pressing the wipe to the tick, while gently pulling upward, for the tick to just pull right out. Not only did Dobby feel no pain, but the tick was left unharmed, too! Dobby’s parents told me they use one of those monthly topical treatments that are supposed to prevent ticks, and were shocked that she’d picked one up at the park.

Tick-SR works on all types and sizes of ticks including Deer ticks, Brown dog ticks, Lone Star ticks, and American dog ticks. In addition, Tick-SR works on the smaller nymphs which are harder to remove due to their small size. It’s available in convenient pre-moistened wipes, like the one I used at the park, or in bottles (great for groomers or veterinarians!). Once you’ve seen how easy and safe it is to remove a tick, you’ll never go back to the tweezers again!

Check out this demonstration video we found:

Like most dog owners, I’m also concerned with using chemicals or pesticides on and around my dog. Tick-SR contains Denatured Alcohol, Purified Witch Hazel, Salicylic Acid, and Benzalkonium Chloride. Salicylic Acid is commonly found in acne and skin care products. It breaks the bond that keeps the tick attached to your dog. Witch hazel is a natural astringent extracted from plants. It pushes blood away from the surface and shuts off the tick’s food supply. Benzalkonium Chloride is a common ingredient found in disinfectants such as Bactine. It destroys bacteria, cleans the puncture wound, and helps to prevent infection. Denatured Alcohol acts as a solvent and as an antiseptic.

I highly recommend Tick-SR to any and all dog owners looking for a safe and easy way to remove ticks. You can pick up a box of their convenient pre-moistened wipes on Amazon.com by clicking here.

Nearly every dog owner will have to deal with a tick at some point in their dog’s life. Will you be prepared when the time comes?

For more information and frequently asked questions about Tick-SR, visit their website at tick-sr.com.

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