Q: What’s the best way to remove a tick embedded in my dog Floyd’s skin? I tried covering the tick with alcohol, nail polish, and petroleum jelly, but nothing loosened its grip. I’ve heard that touching a lit match to the tick works, but I’m afraid I'll burn Floyd. What do you recommend?
A: None of these techniques is effective. They just irritate the tick, making it regurgitate its gut contents—including any harmful bacteria—into the dog. And a lit match can produce an even worse outcome.
