tick removal

Share your tips for safe hiking, surviving in the wild and managing hiking injuries!
User avatar
retired jerry
Posts: 14398
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

tick removal

Post by retired jerry » April 9th, 2019, 2:46 pm

I just got this from Consumer Reports

https://www.consumerreports.org/outdoor ... ve-a-tick/

from CDC protocol

"1. Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.

2. Once you have a firm grasp, pull upward with steady, even force. Don’t twist or jerk the tick, because you might cause its mouth parts to break off and remain in the skin.

3. If you accidentally break the tick apart, try removing the mouth parts with the tweezers. If you can’t, leave it alone and let the skin heal.

4. You can dispose of the tick in one of several ways: Submerse it in alcohol, place it in a sealed bag or container, wrap it tightly in tape, or flush it down the toilet. (Never handle a tick with your bare fingers; pathogens called spirochetes can pass from the tick to you through even tiny breaks in your skin.)

5. Once the tick is disposed of, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water.

6. Check the bite area for several weeks after removal. If you develop a rash there (or have a fever at any point in that time frame), see a doctor about getting tested for Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. "

"There are several tick-removal devices on the market, but the CDC says that a plain set of fine-tipped (pointy) tweezers or a thin, curved forceps (available at a regular pharmacy) is really all you need."

I've used one of those tools, a tick twister, that worked okay. One time it didn't work, I couldn't get my fine tweezers to work, I scraped it off with finger nail. Then the tick twister removed the legs that were still there.

User avatar
Chip Down
Posts: 3037
Joined: November 8th, 2014, 8:41 pm

Re: tick removal

Post by Chip Down » April 9th, 2019, 6:20 pm

Generally sound advice. I agree that a really good set of tweezers in skilled hands can be better than the worst tick extractors, but I'd rather have a good tick extractor (the bad ones are shamefully bad, and it's disgraceful that they're on the market).

I've been told one shouldn't dispose of a tick, but keep it in case your doc wants to see it. That's probably ridiculous, but thanks to that advice I have a nice collection.

Incidentally, it's interesting how long an extracted tick can survive. You might think it's dead, but blow on it and it will squirm around for a minute before going dormant again.

Webfoot
Posts: 1759
Joined: November 25th, 2015, 11:06 am
Location: Troutdale

Re: tick removal

Post by Webfoot » April 9th, 2019, 9:07 pm

I use tweezers that look like this.

Image

User avatar
retired jerry
Posts: 14398
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: tick removal

Post by retired jerry » April 10th, 2019, 4:54 am

what if the tick is imbedded? Can you get those tweezers right at the base of where the tick has attached?

User avatar
retired jerry
Posts: 14398
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: tick removal

Post by retired jerry » April 10th, 2019, 4:56 am

https://www.amazon.com/Tweezers-Ingrown ... r=8-5&th=1

$10 at amazon

how much does it weigh?

Webfoot
Posts: 1759
Joined: November 25th, 2015, 11:06 am
Location: Troutdale

Re: tick removal

Post by Webfoot » April 10th, 2019, 9:37 am

Yes, they worked for an embedded tick, and weigh 20 grams.

User avatar
BigBear
Posts: 1836
Joined: October 1st, 2009, 11:54 am

Re: tick removal

Post by BigBear » April 10th, 2019, 10:15 am

I find that Vaseline works great for tick removal. If you bury the tick with any kind of cream, it can't breathe and will back itself out, and then you can extract it easily. Although there is still concern it will spit its toxic fluids as it suffocates, it is unlikely you will detach the body from the head of the tick by pulling it out while it's sucking blood.

User avatar
texasbb
Posts: 1174
Joined: July 26th, 2008, 8:16 pm
Location: Tri-Cities, WA

Re: tick removal

Post by texasbb » April 10th, 2019, 5:32 pm

BigBear wrote:
April 10th, 2019, 10:15 am
I find that Vaseline works great for tick removal. If you bury the tick with any kind of cream, it can't breathe and will back itself out, and then you can extract it easily. Although there is still concern it will spit its toxic fluids as it suffocates, it is unlikely you will detach the body from the head of the tick by pulling it out while it's sucking blood.
Making it regurgitate is worse than leaving a few mouth parts in place. No vaseline, no matches, no peppermint oil, no nothin' but tweezers or a tick spoon.

User avatar
Bosterson
Posts: 2317
Joined: May 18th, 2009, 3:17 pm
Location: Portland

Re: tick removal

Post by Bosterson » April 10th, 2019, 5:53 pm

texasbb wrote:
April 10th, 2019, 5:32 pm
BigBear wrote:
April 10th, 2019, 10:15 am
I find that Vaseline works great for tick removal. If you bury the tick with any kind of cream, it can't breathe and will back itself out, and then you can extract it easily. Although there is still concern it will spit its toxic fluids as it suffocates, it is unlikely you will detach the body from the head of the tick by pulling it out while it's sucking blood.
Making it regurgitate is worse than leaving a few mouth parts in place. No vaseline, no matches, no peppermint oil, no nothin' but tweezers or a tick spoon.
+1

I have a Tick Twister that I (thankfully) haven't had to test yet. The CDC says the best thing is a nice pair of curved forceps - grab the tick by the mouth at the skin level and pull it straight out. Making the tick regurgitate toxic fluids through burning, suffocating, etc etc not only increases the risk of infection but also makes the bite more inflamed and take longer to heal.
#pnw #bestlife #bitingflies #favoriteyellowcap #neverdispleased

User avatar
retired jerry
Posts: 14398
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: tick removal

Post by retired jerry » April 11th, 2019, 2:01 pm

I got a tweezer guru - 0.75 ounces - that looks like it ought to work fairly good for imbedded tick

Hopefully I won't be testing this

Post Reply