What should be done with a live tick? - briefly
Remove the attached tick promptly using fine‑pointed tweezers, grasping it as close to the skin as possible and pulling upward with steady, even pressure; then clean the bite site with antiseptic and discard the tick in a sealed container or flush it down the toilet.
What should be done with a live tick? - in detail
When a tick is still attached to the skin, immediate removal is essential to prevent disease transmission. Follow these steps:
- Use fine‑point tweezers or a specialized tick‑removal tool. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible, holding the mouthparts securely.
- Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Avoid twisting or jerking, which can leave mouthparts embedded.
- After extraction, clean the bite area and your hands with alcohol, iodine, or soap and water.
- Examine the tick. If it is engorged or appears diseased, store it in a sealed container with a label noting the date and location of removal; this aids medical assessment if symptoms develop.
- Monitor the bite site for several weeks. Look for a rash, fever, fatigue, or joint pain. Seek medical evaluation promptly if any of these signs appear, providing the tick specimen or a detailed description.
Additional considerations:
- Do not crush the tick with your fingers. Crushing can release infectious fluids.
- Do not apply petroleum jelly, heat, or chemicals to force the tick out; these methods are ineffective and may increase the risk of infection.
- If removal is impossible or the tick is dead, consult a healthcare professional rather than attempting risky extraction.
Proper disposal involves sealing the tick in a plastic bag and discarding it in household waste, or flushing it down the toilet if permitted. Maintaining these practices reduces the likelihood of tick‑borne illnesses such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and others.