In this article, we explain why you should never use olive oil to remove ticks from your dog
In the summer our dogs live longer in the open air and there is a risk that their fur can nest fleas, ticks, mosquitoes and other parasites it is very high. For this, we need to know how to behave to avoid putting the health of our four-legged friend at risk.
These days, articles are circulating on the web that recommend removing ticks using olive oil and even saying that a single drop is enough. Nothing could be more wrong, veterinarians explain that you should never, ever use olive oil, alcohol, or acetone before removal because all this could cause the parasite to regurgitate, increasing the chances of infection.
The veterinary Beate Kuhl explains it well, who writes:
"It is absolutely contraindicated to wet the tick with alcohol, oil or other substances to favor its detachment, or to bring the flame of the lighter closer, because in the suffering phase of the tick its salivary secretion increases and pours into the blood of our animal, significantly increasing the risk of disease transmission ".
Doctor Valentina Chiapatti reiterates this on her blog Amica Veterinaria: "The main rule is not to stun or suffocate a tick to remove it" and in a video she explains how to remove a tick from a dog.
Here's how to remove a tick from a dog or cat:
We have cited two examples, but all vets agree: olive oil must never be used to remove the tick from our Fido. As we have explained to you many times, ticks can transmit to our animal friends but also to us humans various diseases such as: Lyme borreliosis, canine ehrlichiosis, button fever, tularemia, Q fever, babesiosis and viral encephalitis.
It is therefore of primary importance to prevent any unwelcome encounter and possibly know what to do in the event of a bite by relying on the advice of experts and not of those who make misinformation. In this article we explain how to remove ticks:
Olive oil if anything, can be used after removal:
“After detaching it, the tick can be killed by immersing it in alcohol or oil, burning it or crushing it. To crush them do not use your fingers but help yourself with a hard object, such as a stone and, if it is swollen with blood, wrap it first in a piece of absorbent paper ”, explains veterinary Beate Kuhl.
Read all of our articles on ticks
Source: Gabbro Veterinary Clinic / Amica Veterinaria
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Read also:
- Beware of ticks! They are very adept at hiding. Always check also in the mouth of your four-legged friends
- Ticks are back active right now, but luckily there are several ways to avoid bites
- Ticks: how to eliminate them in the safest way?
