TickAway — Tick Remover Hook Set (S/M/L) for Dogs & Cats

Tick season. Your dog comes back from the woods with a passenger. You can feel the panic — don't squeeze, don't burn, don't yank — but the only thing in the kitchen drawer is a pair of tweezers, and tweezers are exactly what you shouldn't use.

This is the tool you actually want for that moment. A small green hook, three sizes, designed to slide under the tick and slip it off in one smooth turn. No twisting. No squeezing. No leaving the head buried under your dog's skin.

It's the same kind of tool your vet keeps in the consult room — and it's the removal method most vets recommend over tweezers, hot matches, or fingernails. Three hooks come in the set so you've got the right size for whatever's clinging on, whether it's a pinhead-sized nymph or one that's been feeding for two days.

Why a hook, and not tweezers

Tweezers squeeze the tick's body. When you squeeze, the tick can release saliva — and along with it, anything it's carrying — back into the bite wound. That's the exact opposite of what you want. Burning the tick with a match or a lit cigarette does the same thing for a different reason; the tick panics and regurgitates before letting go.

The hook works differently. You slide the slim end under the tick, flush against the skin, then twist the hook gently. The mouthparts — which screw in — unscrew out. The tick comes off whole, alive, and unburst, with no chemical exchange and no head left behind. Three to five seconds, start to finish.

How to use it (in case you've never seen one)

1. Pick the hook size that matches the tick. Small hook for the tiny ones, larger hooks for ticks that have been feeding longer.

2. Slide the hook under the tick, flat against the skin. The tick should sit in the V of the hook.

3. Twist the hook gently — two or three full turns in either direction. The tick will release on its own.

4. Drop the tick into a small jar of rubbing alcohol or seal it in tape (don't squish it on the floor — they're surprisingly hard to kill that way).

5. Clean the bite site with a little antiseptic and watch it for a few days.

A practical note on tick-borne disease

Ticks can carry various diseases depending on where you live — Lyme disease in much of Europe and North America, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, and in some regions paralysis tick. Removing a tick quickly and cleanly may reduce the risk of disease transmission, but it doesn't eliminate it. If a tick has been attached for more than 24 hours, or if your pet develops lethargy, fever, loss of appetite, joint pain, or a skin reaction at the bite site in the days that follow, see a vet promptly. Take the tick with you if you can — it helps with diagnosis.

Where to keep them

One in your kitchen drawer. One in the car. One in whatever bag you take on walks. Ticks have a habit of appearing at exactly the moment you're least prepared for them — at a friend's house, on a campsite, in a Premier Inn at 11pm — and the difference between having a hook and not having one is the difference between a 30-second job and a panic-Google.

Free guide: we've put together a step-by-step walk-through of safe tick removal at home, with photos and the things vets wish more owners knew. Read the guide here.

Frequently asked

Will it work on cats?

Yes — same technique. Cats are more wriggly than dogs so it's a two-person job if you can manage it (one to hold, one to hook). The Small or Medium hook is usually right for a cat tick.

Can I use it on myself?

Yes. The technique is identical for humans. Lyme disease is a serious enough thing in the UK that the NHS recommends a clean, twist-out removal — this is the tool for it. Keep one in your hiking pack.

What if the head breaks off?

It happens occasionally even with perfect technique. The body usually treats the leftover mouthpart like a splinter and pushes it out within a few days. Clean the area, watch for redness or swelling, and see a vet if it doesn't settle in 3-4 days.

How do I clean them?

Soap and warm water, or pop them in the dishwasher. They're solid silicone — no metal parts, no rust risk. They'll outlast your dog's collar.

Do you ship outside the UK?

Yes — free worldwide delivery, fully tracked. Ticks are everywhere; so are we.

SniffWaggleNWalk — pet kit chosen for the pets, not the algorithm. Free worldwide delivery on every order.