How to Remove a Tick

When removing a tick remember the following points.

Don't compress the tick.
Don't leave the tick mouth parts in the skin.

This is best acheived by using a specialist tick removal tool such as a O'TOM® hook (Tick Twister®) shown below, or a fine pointed tweezers (shown left).

Specialist Tick removal tools are available from this website and all good veterinary clinics and pet shops.

Choose the most suitable hook, according to the size of the tick.

Engage the hook by approaching the tick from the side (the body of a tick is flat) until it is held.

Lift the hook very lightly and TURN IT (screwing or unscrewing)

When a tick is fixed in the host, it injects saliva in the skin, which contains :

Allergenic matters, which cause oedema (swelling) and erythema (redness) on the bite's point, and pruritus (itching).
Infectious agents which are transmitted from the tick to people or animals e.g. Lyme Disease.

When the tick is grabbed with tweezers or similar instruments, the tool exerts a pressure on the tick's body: this pressure promotes saliva back-flow in the host skin, and increases the risk of injection of allergenic matters and above all the risk of transmission of tick-borne microorganisms. When the tick is grasped with a specialist tool, there is no pressure on the tick's body, thus, reducing the risk of the injection of allergenic matters and the transmission of microorganisms.

The mouth-parts of a tick include an hypostome (rostrum) which is implanted in the skin during biting. This hypostome is fully covered with backward directed projections; this allows the tick to "anchor" in the skin. If you pull upon the tick, the spikes will rise and the mouth-parts of the tick can break and stay in the skin, causing pain and infection. With a specialist hook, you TURN the body of the tick; the spikes fold into the axis of rotation, and the tick is easily removed, without traction effort, and decreasing the risks of breaking the rostrum.

Do Nots

Do Not use your fingers.
Do Not squeeze the tick.
Do Not use a burning match.
Do Not use a cigarette.
Do Not use petroleum jelly.
Do Not use cleaning fluid.

Thanks to H3D for providing the images.