How do you check a tick? - briefly
Use a fine‑pointed tweezer to grasp the parasite as near to the skin’s surface as possible and pull upward with steady, even pressure. Clean the bite site with antiseptic and observe for any signs of infection.
How do you check a tick? - in detail
When a tick is found attached to skin, immediate verification is essential to determine species, engorgement stage, and potential disease risk.
First, protect your hands with disposable gloves or wash them thoroughly after removal. Use a fine‑pointed pair of tweezers or a specialized tick‑removal tool. Grip the tick as close to the skin as possible, avoiding compression of the body. Pull upward with steady, even pressure; do not twist or jerk, which can leave mouthparts embedded.
After extraction, place the specimen on a white surface for examination. Identify key features:
- Body shape: oval, flattened before feeding; becomes rounded and bulging when engorged.
- Size: ranging from 1 mm (larva) to 6 mm (adult) before feeding; can expand to 10 mm or more after a blood meal.
- Scutum: hard shield on the dorsal side; present in all stages of hard ticks, absent in soft ticks.
- Mouthparts: visible at the front; in Ixodes species, the capitulum projects forward, while in Dermacentor it is angled downward.
- Legs: eight legs in all stages; nymphs and adults have four pairs, larvae have three pairs.
Record the tick’s developmental stage (larva, nymph, adult) and engorgement level. If possible, photograph the specimen for later reference. Preserve the tick for laboratory testing by placing it in a sealed container with ethanol (70 % is sufficient) or a labeled dry tube. Include date, location of attachment, and host information on the container.
Consult local health authority guidelines to decide whether pathogen testing is warranted. In regions where Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, or other tick‑borne illnesses are endemic, testing is recommended for ticks attached longer than 24 hours or for hosts presenting symptoms.
Finally, clean the bite site with antiseptic, monitor for rash, fever, or flu‑like symptoms over the next 30 days, and seek medical evaluation if any signs develop.