Ticks are common in Dubai, particularly around parks, sandy scrub and any area with stray cats. They matter because of what they can carry, not because of the bite itself.

Important: this guide is about safe removal of a single tick you have found. It is not veterinary advice. If your dog becomes lethargic, stops eating, develops pale gums or seems to be in pain in the days after a bite, see a vet promptly. Tick-borne diseases such as ehrlichiosis and babesiosis are present in the UAE and are serious.

First, the two rules that matter most

Do not squeeze the tick’s body. Squeezing can push the contents of the tick back into your dog, which is exactly how infection is transmitted.

Do not try to make it “let go” on its own. The old advice about petroleum jelly, nail polish, alcohol or a lit match is wrong and actively dangerous. A distressed tick is more likely to regurgitate into the wound, and you also risk burning your dog.

1. A proper tick hook (the best method)

A tick hook, sometimes called a tick twister, is a small plastic tool that costs about AED 25 in any Dubai pet shop. It is the best option by a wide margin.

Slide the fork of the hook around the tick, right against the skin, then twist gently, two or three turns, and lift. The tick releases whole, mouthparts included. It should not hurt your dog at all.

If you own a dog in Dubai, buy one and keep it in the house. It is the single most useful pet item under AED 50.

2. Fine-point tweezers

If you do not have a hook, use tweezers with a fine point, not the flat cosmetic kind.

Grip the tick as close to your dog’s skin as you can, at the head, not the body. Pull straight upward, slowly and steadily. Do not twist and do not jerk. Twisting with tweezers can snap the mouthparts off.

3. A tick removal card

These are credit-card shaped with a V-shaped notch. Slide the notch under the tick at skin level and push forward. They work well and fit in a wallet, though they are more awkward on very short-coated dogs where there is little to grip.

4. Let your groomer or vet do it

If the tick is somewhere difficult, near an eye, inside an ear canal, on the genitals or between the paw pads, do not attempt it yourself. These are all places where a slip causes real damage.

We remove ticks as part of grooming, and we check the whole dog while we work. Our flea and tick treatment add-on is AED 50.

5. If the head breaks off

It happens, and it is usually not a disaster. Do not dig at the skin trying to extract it. Clean the area and leave it alone. In most cases the body pushes the fragment out over a few days, the same way it would a splinter.

If the area becomes red, swollen, hot or starts weeping over the following days, see a vet.

After removal

Kill the tick properly. Put it in a small container with rubbing alcohol. Do not crush it with your fingers and do not flush it alive.
Clean the bite site with mild antiseptic.
Note the date. If your dog becomes unwell in the next two to three weeks, tell the vet exactly when the bite happened. It genuinely changes what they test for.
Check the rest of the dog. Ticks rarely travel alone. Go carefully through the ears, under the collar, in the armpits, between the toes and around the tail.

Preventing ticks in Dubai

Use a vet-recommended tick preventative all year round. Dubai does not have a tick season the way cooler countries do.
Check your dog after walks in any sandy, scrubby or park area.
Wash bedding regularly at high temperature.
Book regular grooming. A groomer washing and brushing a whole dog will find ticks you would not.

We check for ticks and skin problems on every single groom. See our prices or message us on WhatsApp.

5 safe ways to remove ticks from your dog at home in Dubai