Before I started Sarah’s Pet Sitting in 2008, I worked as a veterinary technician. Finding a tick on your dog or cat is gross, but getting it off is quick once you know how. The big thing is not to panic and squeeze.

And no, fall isn’t tick-free here. The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station says adult blacklegged (deer) ticks are active in the fall, on warmer winter days and in the spring. So those leaf-crunching October walks still call for a tick check when you get home.

These steps follow the CDC’s tick removal advice. They work the same on dogs and cats. If your pet is wiggly, a second person holding them (and a treat or two) makes it a lot easier.

1. Part the fur. Get a clear look at where the tick is attached so you’re grabbing the tick, not your pet’s skin.
2. Grab it close to the skin. Use clean, fine-tipped tweezers and grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as you can. Holding it there, and not by the body, keeps you from squeezing it.
3. Pull straight out. Use steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk, since that can make the mouthparts break off in the skin.
4. Clean up. Wash the bite area and your hands with soap and water, rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer.
5. Look for more. Where there’s one tick, there may be others. Do a full check (see below).

Skip the home remedies. The CDC says not to use petroleum jelly, heat, nail polish or other substances to make a tick let go. They can agitate the tick and force infected fluid into the skin.

What people call the tick’s “head” is really its mouthparts, and pulling too fast or twisting is what makes them break off. If a tiny dark bit is left in the skin, the CDC says you can remove them with tweezers if they come out easily. If they don’t, leave them alone. The body will push them out over time as the skin heals. Digging at the spot just makes it sore.

If the spot gets red, swollen or oozy, or your pet won’t leave it alone, call your vet.

First, don’t beat yourself up. It happens to all of us. The CDC’s advice is simply not to crush ticks with your fingers, because you don’t want what’s inside the tick on your skin.

So wash your hands well with soap and water right away, and clean the bite area on your pet too. The CDC says to see your doctor if you get a rash or fever in the weeks after a tick bite, so if you’re worried about yourself, call your doctor. For your pet, call your vet if you notice any changes (more on that below).

Next time, grab the tweezers. Grasping right at the skin is what keeps you from squeezing the body.

Yes. The CDC notes there are several tick removal tools on the market, but a plain set of tweezers works very well. If fine-tipped tweezers aren’t around, regular tweezers are OK.

In a pinch you can use your fingers. Grip right at the skin and don’t squeeze the tick’s body, then wash your hands well afterward.

The CDC lists four safe ways to get rid of a live tick: put it in alcohol, seal it in a bag or container, wrap it tightly in tape, or flush it down the toilet.

Want it identified? Then don’t use alcohol or tape. Connecticut’s tick lab asks for ticks to be sent dry, in a crush-proof container or a sealed plastic bag, with nothing else in it (no paper towel or cotton). No glass, and no liquid of any kind.

CAES says residents should usually go through their local health department, which then sends the tick to the lab. Here’s who to call in our towns:

Not in one of these towns? The state keeps a list of every local health department. Hours and fees can change, so call before you drop anything off.

The CDC recommends checking pets for ticks every day, especially after time outdoors. Ticks live in grassy, brushy and wooded areas, so think of the edges of trails, tall grass and leaf piles. Run your fingers through the fur with gentle pressure and feel for small bumps. Check these spots:

• In and around the ears
• Around the eyelids
• Under the collar
• Under the front legs
• Between the back legs
• Between the toes
• Around the tail

Ticks are hard to spot on dogs with long or dark fur, so go slowly.

Tick identification card supplied by Mountain Lore Animal Hospital. The deer (blacklegged) tick is the main one that spreads Lyme disease here.

The CDC says signs of tick-borne disease in pets may not show up for 7 to 21 days or longer after a bite. Watch for changes in your pet’s behavior or appetite over the next few weeks, and call your vet if something seems off.

• Use a tick preventive on your dog. Ask your vet which product fits your dog and your area.
• Be careful with cats. The CDC warns cats are extremely sensitive to many chemicals, so don’t put any tick product on your cat without asking your vet first.
• Ask about the Lyme vaccine. For dogs, Lyme disease is the one tick-borne disease there’s a vaccine for. Your vet can tell you if it makes sense.

For more, see our posts on flea and tick prevention in CT and keeping fleas and ticks out of your yard.

Our dog walkers are out 7 days a week, and you get a visit report with photos after every walk. Going out of town? Our pet sitting visits keep dogs, cats and small pets on their routine at home. We’ve been caring for pets in Cheshire since 2008, and our team also covers Wallingford, Hamden, Southington, North Haven, Meriden and New Haven.

Sources (checked Oct. 29, 2026): CDC: What to Do After a Tick Bite; CDC: Preventing Ticks on Pets; CAES: Information on Submitting Ticks; CAES tick brochure (PDF); Quinnipiack Valley Health District: Ticks & Mosquitoes. Sarah’s Pet Sitting isn’t affiliated with the CDC, CAES or any health department. This article is general information, not veterinary or medical advice.