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My dog has a tick near his eye. Should I remove it or see a vet?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Yorkshire Terrier | Male | neutered | 8 lbs

My dog has a lone star tick attached above his eye and I can’t get it off. Should I take him to the vet or is there an easier (and less expensive) way?

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Lauren Jones VMD

Veterinarian

Published on June 10th, 2020

I agree that it looks as though Lucas has a tick attached to his eyelid. Ticks tend to like to bite areas with a greater blood supply, particularly the face and ears. If he's cooperative, you can try to use a pair of tweezers to carefully grab the base of the tick and pull straight out in a firm, smooth motion. Be sure that all of the tick's mouth parts are out, as they can be a source of infection if they're left behind. Also take care not to squeeze the body of the tick, as this can cause them to regurgitate during removal, potentially injecting diseased organisms through the bite. However, if he is resistant to your tick removal attempts or if you're still unable to remove it with a pair of tweezers, Lucas should be seen by his vet. Good luck! I hope that everything goes well!

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Hello. As I previously answered, this looks a small tumor. It does not look like a tick to me, but if you are really not sure, have your veterinarian take a look. It really is difficult to see if this is truly a tick or not. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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