Sometimes I wet the dogs hair to keep it out of my field of view. Basically I just use tweezers and get down to where the head is. Pull straight out and drop the tick into alcohol or acetone.

If the ticks head breaks off in the dog it can regrow the body or even cause infection. Look at the tick before dropping it into the solution to see if the head is attached still.

Never handle a tick with your bare hands since you can get tick carried diseases by handling the ticks.

Cleanse you hands and tweezers after dealing with the ticks.

Oh yeah....and try not to gag while doing all this. A tick to me is as repulsive as a cock roach and gagging is assured.

Good Luck.

BTW...use Frontline on your babies.

Here is a link that might be useful: More than you ever cared to know about ticks (gag)

Advantage or Frontline once a month.

Put a dab of Vaseline on the tick. They breathe thru their skin. The tick will back out before suffocating. Have you heard about Revolution? It is an all-in-one flea & tick medication that also prevents heartworm, intestinal parasites, ear mites. Check with your vet.

Carol

Thanks, all.
The neighbor (who owns the front of the dog) was supposed to be doing medications. We own the back half (got her fixed and keep her combed) and pet her silly. The neighbor may be fighting with his Mom who owns/inherited the house and pets (and half pets).
So we may be gaining percentages of dog if this goes on much longer.
Reaching for PetMeds catalog.

This happened to me once. I half-filled a shot glass with Stolichnaya and inverted it over the tick on the dog for a few seconds. The tick let go, and died much happier than it deserved to. Dog wagged, yawned, and went back to sleep.

We use Frontline now.

Two ticks drowned in rubbing alcohol today. They are even gross drowned.
Then dog accompanied me on my afternoon RRD check, got the scent of the rabbit that lives under Gardenia and it took off for the more vulnerable Austins, leaving wonderdog sniffing around Gardenia rose.

Well now if you go hiking with the guys (@ least the mt biker/hiking crowd) they bring tweezers and bic lighters to deal with the ticks while out in the woods...Need I say more. ;-)

Ticks are an ever-present plague here;
Advantage Plus is the best thing I've ever found.

By the time you find them imbedded in the dog's skin, some damage has been done.
Be sure you get the "Plus";
"Advantage" is for fleas, "Advantage Plus" will kill ticks, too.

Max the Moo has had 2 ticks on him thus far this year - for the first time in his furry life! He uses Advantage Plus &/ Frontline, but the vet said the critters actually have to bite the dog before the medicine works! Since Spanky is likely allergic to fleas and ticks, he has been itching like a dervish these past few weeks. I have friends who treat their yards with Sevin dust, but since Max doesn't just stay in the yard (I walk him frequently) I would have to treat the whole city...

Anyway, hope you got things taken care of. BTW, the vet also said that once a critter bites a dog, the dog can have symptoms for as long as 5 days past the event...