Reviewed & Fact-Checked By
Dr. Nia Perkins
Veterinarian, DVM
Reviewed & Fact-Checked By
Dr. Nia Perkins
Veterinarian, DVM
The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.
Although most tick bites aren’t very painful, they can cause some symptoms and transmit serious diseases, such as Lyme disease. Not only is it important to remove ticks as quickly as possible, but it’s also vital to detach them completely. Improper removal can lead to infection and other negative consequences.
Fortunately, there are different types of tick remover tools that can help you remove the whole tick without leaving any parts behind. We have reviews of some of the most common and popular options you’ll find in stores. Make sure to take a look at what’s available to help you determine which best fits you and your pet’s needs.
A Quick Look at our Favorites in 2023
Image Product Details
Best Overall
Dr. Mercola Tick Stick Dog & Cat Tick Removal Tool
Removes most ticks
Very portable
Firmly grips ticks
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Best Value
ZenPet Tick Tornado Tick Removal Tool
Affordable option
Kit comes in 2 sizes
Ergonomic handle
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Premium Choice
FURminator Flea & Tick Finder Dog & Cat Brush
Built-in LED light
Magnifying glass
No-slip grip
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TickEase Tick Removal Tweezer Tool
Includes tweezers for hard-to-reach places
Slotted end to easily twist off ticks
Durable stainless steel
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HomeSake Tick Remover Tool and Tweezer Set
Durable stainless-steel tools
Set comes with a pouch
Slotted tool has good grip
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The 9 Best Tick Remover Tools for Dogs & Cats
1. Dr. Mercola Tick Stick Dog & Cat Tick Removal Tool – Best Overall
The Dr. Mercola Tick Stick Dog & Cat Tick Removal Tool is one of the most popular tick removers and with good reason. This stick has a forked end that enables you to surround a tick and get a firm grip on it.
With one twisting motion, you can easily detach the tick from the skin without leaving anything behind. Just make sure to follow the instructions correctly to avoid improper removal.
This tick removal kit contains two sticks for differently sized ticks. It also comes in a resealable plastic bag so you can easily store it anywhere. The small size makes it extremely portable and easy to bring with you on your next hiking trip.
Overall, Dr. Mercola Tick Stick Dog & Cat Tick Removal Tool is a simple and effective tool, making it the best overall tick remover tool.
Pros
Removes most ticks
Very portable
Firmly grips ticks
Cons
Need to follow instructions carefully
2. ZenPet Tick Tornado Tick Removal Tool – Best Value
The ZenPet Tick Tornado Tick Removal Tool is a more affordable option and the best tick remover tool for the money you pay. This toolkit comes with two picks of different sizes to use on all sizes of ticks on both cats and dogs.
Removes most ticks
Very portable
Firmly grips ticks
- Removes most ticks
- Very portable
- Firmly grips ticks
Need to follow instructions carefully
- Need to follow instructions carefully
It has an ergonomic, textured handle so that you can have a secure grip when removing ticks. You’ll need to hold the skin taut and use a twisting motion to remove the tick. While this works on most body parts, it may be more challenging to remove ticks located on spots with looser skin. For example, it may be more difficult to remove ticks stuck on ears and around a cat’s neck.
Pros
Affordable option
Kit comes in 2 sizes
Ergonomic handle
Cons
Doesn’t work well in areas with loose skin
3. FURminator Flea & Tick Finder Dog & Cat Brush – Premium Choice
If you already have a tick pick, the FURminator Flea & Tick Finder Dog & Cat Brush can be a great accessory to add to your grooming supplies. This brush has a rake attached at the head to comb your pet’s fur for ticks and other pests and parasites. It also comes with an LED light and magnifying glass to make your search easier. The handle has a no-slip grip to make handling easy and comfortable.
Affordable option
Kit comes in 2 sizes
Ergonomic handle
- Affordable option
- Kit comes in 2 sizes
- Ergonomic handle
Doesn’t work well in areas with loose skin
- Doesn’t work well in areas with loose skin
We can’t deny that this brush is relatively expensive, but it can be worth the investment if you live in an area with a high density of ticks. It’ll help you find ticks faster and make sure that you’ve found them all.
Pros
Built-in LED light
Magnifying glass
No-slip grip
Cons
Relatively expensive
4. TickEase Tick Removal Tweezer Tool
The TickEase Tick Removal Tweezer Tool has two different ends. One end works as tweezers to pick off ticks located in hard-to-reach places. The other end is slotted, and it slides on either side of the tick and twists them off. These options make it easier to remove ticks from particularly squirmy and impatient dogs or cats. If one end doesn’t work, you can always try the other.
Built-in LED light
Magnifying glass
No-slip grip
- Built-in LED light
- Magnifying glass
- No-slip grip
Relatively expensive
- Relatively expensive
The tool is made with durable stainless steel, so one pair will last you a long time, and you don’t have to worry about it breaking or snapping, like its plastic competitors.
Although this tick remover tool is an overall great choice, we do wish there was one additional feature. We would like to see grooves or some sort of material on the end of the tweezers, because it can be difficult securing a strong grip with them. The ends are very thin and narrow and can slip when you’re trying to get a hold of ticks.
Pros
Includes tweezers for hard-to-reach places
Slotted end to easily twist off ticks
Durable stainless steel
Cons
Tweezers don’t have a strong grip on ticks
5. HomeSake Tick Remover Tool
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Material: Stainless steel
Type: Prong and tweezer
The HomeSake Tick Remover Tool and Tweezer Set for Humans & Pets provides all you need for a quick tick removal session. It includes a pair of tweezers and a slotted pick to lift off ticks found on the skin. It also comes in a convenient pouch, so you can carry it with you anywhere.
Includes tweezers for hard-to-reach places
Slotted end to easily twist off ticks
Durable stainless steel
- Includes tweezers for hard-to-reach places
- Slotted end to easily twist off ticks
- Durable stainless steel
Tweezers don’t have a strong grip on ticks
- Tweezers don’t have a strong grip on ticks
The slotted tool also has a textured base that’s very helpful for keeping a strong grip. We wish that this same texture was on the tweezers. The tweezers don’t have any sort of additional grip, so it’s not very ergonomic or comfortable to use.
Pros
Durable stainless-steel tools
Set comes with a pouch
Slotted tool has good grip
Cons
Tweezers aren’t comfortable to use
6. The Original Tick Key
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Material: Aluminum
Type: Prong
The Originl Tick Key Tick Removal Device is one of the most portable tick remover tools currently sold in stores. It has a hole located near the top so you can use a keyring to attach it to your keys. It’s also relatively small and flat, so it doesn’t get in the way of anything.
Durable stainless-steel tools
Set comes with a pouch
Slotted tool has good grip
- Durable stainless-steel tools
- Set comes with a pouch
- Slotted tool has good grip
Tweezers aren’t comfortable to use
- Tweezers aren’t comfortable to use
The key is made with durable aluminum and doesn’t bend its shape easily. It’s also rather easy to use. Just place the opening of the key around the tick and apply downward pressure on the skin. Then pull the key away from the tick until it falls off.
The Tick Key works best for pets with shorter hair. Since the base of the key is a little wider than a traditional tick remover tool, it can be difficult to isolate the tick without getting too much hair caught in between. You also can’t get as close to the base of the skin, which can risk leaving behind a part of the tick when you try to remove it.
Pros
Very portable
Durable aluminum
Simple removal steps
Cons
Doesn’t work as well on thick or long coats
7. The Original Ticked Off Tick Remover
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Material: Plastic
Type: Prong
The Original Ticked Off Tick Remover is a great option for pets with long hair because of its scoop design. It can reach the skin level to successfully pick off ticks and collect them in its scoop. This prevents ticks from getting lost in thick fur.
Very portable
Durable aluminum
Simple removal steps
- Very portable
- Durable aluminum
- Simple removal steps
Doesn’t work as well on thick or long coats
- Doesn’t work as well on thick or long coats
The other end of this tick remover has a hole that you can use to attach it to a set of keys so you can easily carry it with you anywhere you go.
The only issue that you might run into is that this tool isn’t the best at removing particularly small ticks. You’ll have to be mindful of keeping the skin extra taut to increase your chances of successfully removing them.
Pros
Scoops up and collects ticks
Has hole for attaching to keyring
Easy to use, no twisting
Cons
Doesn’t work well with small ticks
8. Coghlan’s Tick Remover
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Material: Plastic
Type: Clamp
Coghlan’s Tick Remover is lightweight and spring-loaded to provide a tight grip on ticks. When you press one end of the tool, it’ll open up the clamps on the other end. Then, you grip the tick as close to the skin as possible and gently twist off the tick. You do have to be extra careful because you can easily detach the tick from its head if you don’t twist carefully.
Scoops up and collects ticks
Has hole for attaching to keyring
Easy to use, no twisting
- Scoops up and collects ticks
- Has hole for attaching to keyring
- Easy to use, no twisting
Doesn’t work well with small ticks
- Doesn’t work well with small ticks
The top of this tool also has a clip, so you can attach it to a belt buckle and have it with you at all times when you’re outside. So, once you have a proper understanding of how to use it, it can end up being an invaluable tool to have for your outdoor adventures.
Pros
Secure grip on ticks
Clips to belt buckles
Lightweight
Cons
May grip too tightly to tick
9. TickCheck Tick Remover Card
The TickCheck Tick Remover Card was specifically designed to fit inside standard wallets. Since it’s flat, it can easily fit inside pant pockets. It’s made with durable medical-grade plastic, so the base is strong and sturdy. However, the notches that remove the ticks can snap off easily.
Secure grip on ticks
Clips to belt buckles
Lightweight
- Secure grip on ticks
- Clips to belt buckles
- Lightweight
May grip too tightly to tick
- May grip too tightly to tick
Along with removing ticks, this tool can be used to remove other things, such as bee stings and splinters. It has a large notch for removing larger ticks and a smaller notch for nymph ticks. The base of the card also has a magnifying glass to help you locate ticks and make sure they’ve been removed.
Pros
Easily fits in wallets and pockets
Durable medical-grade plastic
Removes other small items
Magnifying glass
Cons
Notches can snap off easily
Easily fits in wallets and pockets
Durable medical-grade plastic
Removes other small items
Magnifying glass
- Easily fits in wallets and pockets
- Durable medical-grade plastic
- Removes other small items
- Magnifying glass
Notches can snap off easily
- Notches can snap off easily
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing and Using the Best Tick Remover Tool
Removing ticks from pets can be challenging. It’s uncomfortable and can be painful at times for your pets. However, it’s important to remove ticks as quickly as possible to avoid infection and catching diseases. So, here are some tips and tricks to help you remove ticks from your squirmy pets.
Distract with Treats
Treats are one of the best ways to keep your pet still while you comb for ticks. Have a friend or family member hold up your pet’s favorite treats while you work on removing the ticks. Slathering peanut butter or yogurt to a lick mat can help your dog or cat stay distracted as they take time to lick up a tasty treat.
Use a Magnifying Glass
Magnifying glasses can help you find ticks, but they can also help ensure that you’ve removed the whole tick. Leaving behind any parts of the tick, like the head, can still lead to risk of infection and transfer of diseases.
If you notice that a part of the tick is still lodged in your pet’s skin, you can try soaking the area to see if you can coax out the remaining part. If you’re having a hard time getting the head removed, call your veterinarian.
Properly Dispose of the Tick
Ticks can be difficult to kill, so it’s important to dispose of them properly. One of the best ways to get rid of them is to soak them in alcohol first. Then, flush them down the toilet. You can also wrap it tightly in tape before throwing it away.
Test the Tick for Diseases
As an added safety measure, you can take the tick to your veterinarian to see if they would like to identify it. Your veterinarian may suggest bringing your pet in to test for a tick-born disease.
If you want to test the tick, zip it up in a plastic baggy or put it in a pill bottle. Don’t put it in alcohol because it can interfere with test results.
Conclusion
Our reviews show that Dr. Mercola Tick Stick Dog & Cat Tick Removal Tool is the best tick remover tool because it’s easy to use and often successfully removes ticks. We also think that the FURminator Flea & Tick Finder Dog & Cat Brush is a great accompanying tool because it can thoroughly check your pets for ticks.
Ticks need to be treated urgently and removed right away to avoid diseases getting transmitted to your pets. After you remove the tick, make sure to sterilize the affected area and monitor your pet. If they exhibit strange symptoms, contact your veterinarian right away.
Featured Image Credit: Stock2468, Shutterstock
