A client calls her veterinarian because she has found a tick on her dog and she is not sure how to remove it. Which of the following is the most appropriate instruction for tick removal?

The client should immediately remove the tick by grasping it with tweezers close to the dog’s skin and then pulling it steadily upwards.
The client should immediately remove the tick by grasping it with tweezers and twisting it to detach its mouthparts.
The client should immediately remove the tick by holding a hot match close to the tick, causing it to back out and safely extract its mouthparts.
The client should schedule an appointment to have the ticks safely removed by a trained staff member.

Dipterans with Nonbiting Mouthparts

By

Charles M. Hendrix

, DVM, PhD, Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University

Last full review/revision Aug 2013 | Content last modified Aug 2013

Nonbiting dipterans include face flies, head flies, filth-breeding flies, and eye gnats.

Hippoboscid or Louse Flies

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Face Flies

Flies

Overview of Flies

Dipterans with Biting Mouthparts

Horse Flies and Deer Flies

Spider Flies/New Forest Flies

Hippoboscid or Louse Flies

Dipterans with Nonbiting Mouthparts

Dipterans that Produce Myiasis

Facultative Myiasis-producing Flies

Obligatory Myiasis-producing Flies

Pseudomyiasis

Filth-breeding Flies

A client calls her veterinarian because she has found a tick on her dog and she is not sure how to remove it. Which of the following is the most appropriate instruction for tick removal?

The client should immediately remove the tick by grasping it with tweezers close to the dog’s skin and then pulling it steadily upwards.
The client should immediately remove the tick by grasping it with tweezers and twisting it to detach its mouthparts.
The client should immediately remove the tick by holding a hot match close to the tick, causing it to back out and safely extract its mouthparts.
The client should schedule an appointment to have the ticks safely removed by a trained staff member.

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