Removing ticks

1. 1. Using clean tweezers, grasp the head as close to the skin as possible and slowly pull straight out. Try not to twist or crush the tick.
2. 2. If the mouthparts break off and remain in the skin, remove them with tweezers or, if you are unable to remove them easily, leave them alone and let the skin heal. Consult your healthcare provider.
3. 3. Wash the bite area and yours hands with soap and water or disinfect with alcohol hand sanitizer.
4. 4. Try to save the tick that bit you in a sealed container and record the date of the bite. Bring it to your medical appointment as it may help the doctor in their assessment of your illness.
5. 5. Ticks can be disposed of in household garbage once they are dead, and they can be killed by drowning them in rubbing alcohol or by freezing for several hours. Avoid squashing ticks with exposed fingers.
6. 6. Don’t try to remove the tick by using nail polish, petroleum jelly, essential oils or heat to burn the tick.

Visit your health care provider as soon as possible if:

• you are not comfortable with removing a tick
• you cannot remove the tick because it has buried itself deep into your skin

If you develop symptoms of Lyme disease after being bitten, contact your health care provider right away. Tell them:

• how long you think the tick was attached to you
• where you were when you were bitten by the tick

Saving ticks

information on tick testing

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1. 1. Save the tick in a plastic bag that you can seal or a pill bottle. Record the location and date of the bite.
2. 2. Store the container for up to 10 days in the:
   • refrigerator, for live ticks
   • freezer, for dead ticks