A young girl was rushed to hospital to remove a tick from a pet dog that had burrowed into her eyelid in Thailand.

Footage taken on October 21 shows Dr. Chaichan Suebsureekul of the Phetchabun Ear, Eyes, Nose and Throat Clinic using a pair of tweezers to remove the pest that had embedded itself in the girl’s swollen eyelid on her right eye.

However, the offending insect fell from the tweezers and onto the girl’s sclera, or white part of the eye, during the procedure. Dr. Chaichan had to make another attempt before the tick was successfully removed.

The unnamed 13-year-old patient had been complaining of pain in the infested area for several days, but didn’t notice anything strange apart from the swelling. Both she and her mother were shocked when a more thorough medical inspection revealed the tick buried in her eyelid.

It is believed that the parasite came from a dog inside their home, and latched onto the girl while she was playing with her pet.

Ticks inject their victims with a numbing enzyme called kinase, which may explain why the patient did not notice the infestation right away.

Dr. Chaichan said the clinic has seen about six similar cases of insects biting or attacking patients’ eyes, and advised people to seek medical help immediately when it happens.