Are they serious?

[Pam]

I know this works sometimes but I have also heard that some ticks instead will release everything back into the dog/person, which is obviously bad (I'm not sure if I'm even describing that right, but you get the idea, haha). Personally I just use tweezers if I find one, although there was one time that there was a tick that had blown up to the size of a pea on Mandy and I didn't want it to pop so I used dial soap and a cotton ball and it came right out. It was so easy. But for whatever reason, I can't get it to work on the ticks that are still flat.

Sarah you are absolutely right. My vet said to never ever burn a tick for the reason you mention (regurgitation). Also, should they pop, the *stuff* inside is then deposited on your dog and this *stuff* could contain Rocky Mountain Spotted Tick fever, something we don't hear much about these days now that Lyme has become so prevalent. My vet always suggests pulling a tick out by tweezers and then dabbing a bit of alcohol on where the tick was attached. He said if the head is left in don't worry about it. It eventually will come out (sort of like your own skin when you have a scab) and, contrary to popular belief, will not cause the area to become infected. We have been using tweezers for 30 years and on six different dogs and it works like a charm.

[sumbirdy]

I just read some more answers on this same question and one person said not to pull the tick out unless you are a vet. (or something along those lines)
If I had to get a vet to pull ticks off of my dogs I'd be back and forth from the vet all the time

[Pam]

I just read some more answers on this same question and one person said not to pull the tick out unless you are a vet. (or something along those lines)
If I had to get a vet to pull ticks off of my dogs I'd be back and forth from the vet all the time

In my area if everyone took their dog to a vet each time they got a tick, the line would be way out the vet's door into the parking lot.

[sumbirdy]

In my area if everyone took their dog to a vet each time they got a tick, the line would be way out the vet's door into the parking lot.

Yep, same here. We would probably live at the vet's office during tick season.

[pitc9]

My sister in Missouri has 3 dogs and they have ticks on them all the time. They use the match/lighter method to remove ticks.

I'm thankful I've never had one on my dogs, bugs freak me out, I'd loose my mind if I had to touch on to get it off.

[Freedom]

Yup, grew up with the match / cigarette method, saw my Dad do it many times on our dogs. No one in my house smoked, Dad had to beg cigarettes from neighbors -- or matches, as we didn't have those either.

Light the fur? GAH!!