How to Treat a Tick Problem
Ticks are parasites that survive on the blood of birds, reptiles and mammals, including pets, farm animals and humans. Ticks can spread illnesses, such as Lyme disease, when they infect a new host, according to Tickinfo.com. Ticks take three years to develop from larvae to adults, but adult ticks can spread disease within 24 to 72 hours of attaching to a host, according to an article by physicians Matthew Gammons and Gohar Salam for American Family Physicians. This is why it is important to remove ticks as soon as possible.
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Things You'll Need
- Tweezers
- Bottle of alcohol
- Vial or plastic sandwich bag
- Insect repellent
- Hydrocortisone spray
- Bathroom tissue
Instructions
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Removing Ticks
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If one or more ticks are attached to your skin, use a pair of tweezers to pull each individual tick off your skin by its head or mouth. When removing the tick, make sure to take out its mouthpiece because it could become embedded in the skin. Also do not twist or squeeze the tick's head when removing the tick because the head could emit fluids that contain infectious agents, according to Matthew Gammons and Gohar Salam.
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After removing a tick, place it in a bottle of alcohol, vial or plastic sandwich bag. Putting the tick in a bottle of alcohol will kill it, according to Drsfostersmith.com. Keep the bottle of alcohol or vial where you have placed the tick because the tick may be tested later for infectious agents at a laboratory or health department.
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Once you have completely removed ticks from your skin, apply an antiseptic solution to your skin to prevent infection. If you have removed one or more ticks from a pet, you may want to apply an antibiotic ointment to the attachment site.
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If a tick's mouthpiece has become embedded in your skin, remove it as soon as possible. Although infectious agents are usually found in the body or head of the tick, a tick's mouthpiece can cause a secondary infection, according to the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine.
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Wait a month before throwing away a tick because this is the amount of time it takes for a tick-related illness, such as Lyme disease, to appear, according to the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine.
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If you believe that you have ticks in your home or yard, use an insect repellent with DEET on your skin and/or clothing to prevent the parasites from attaching to your skin.
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Tips & Warnings
If you develop a welt or rash as a result of a tick bite, use hydrocortisone spray to reduce feelings of itchiness and irritation.
Take your pets to a veterinarian annually to get checked for ticks and other parasites.
Try to avoid using your fingers to remove a tick from your skin. If you have an emergency situation where you need to use your fingers, place a piece of bathroom tissue over your hand during the removal process.
Do not put petroleum jelly, alcohol or lidocaine directly on a tick or try to burn the tick because this could cause it to salivate infectious substances.
Seek medical assistance if you develop a fever, swollen lymph nodes, muscle pain and/or signs of paralysis after removing a tick, according to MedlinePlus.
