How to safely remove a tick from yourself or your dog:
Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to its head and the skin’s surface as possible.- Pull straight upward without twisting or picking at the tick. Twisting can cause the tick’s head and mouth parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove them with tweezers.
- After removing the tick, avoid any contact with blood or fluids coming from the tick. Thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water. Adding a drop or two of clove oil (oil of clove essential oils) directly on the bite area can help eradicate infection.
- Dispose of a live tick by placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet. Never crush a tick with your fingers to avoid any possible contact with pathogens.
- For information about Lyme disease, please go to www.LymeKnowledge.com or contact www.TickedOffFoundation.org if you know you have the disease.
The following is a partial list of independent laboratories that do tick testing. Most offer mail-based service if you are not local.
TickReport
www.tickreport.com
Telephone: (413)545-1057
Ticknology
www.ticknology.org
Telephone: (970)305-5587
TickCheck
www.tickcheck.com
Telephone: (866)713-TICK
IGeneX
www.igenex.com/tick-borne-disease-testing/
Telephone: (800)832-3200