There are more than 800 species of ticks and many carry diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme disease, which are transferred to animals and humans through bites. Ticks are parasites, as they attach themselves to a host by burrowing their mouths into the skin and feeding on blood. Removing a tick from an animal is an important step in preventing infection or identifying a disease in case the animal has become ill.
Instructions
1. Identify the parasite. Be sure that it's a tick and not some other type of insect. Ticks (part of the arachnid family) are wingless, have rounded bodies and four pairs of legs. There are hard-bodied and soft-bodied variations, and length ranges from 1/8 inch to 1/2 inch when fully fed.
2. Call a veterinarian. The vet may have specific instructions for you to follow when removing the tick, and treatment advice for after the parasite has been taken off the animal.
3. Use tweezers to remove the tick. First, put on rubber gloves in order to protect yourself from any diseases the insect may be carrying. With the end of the tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the animal's flesh as possible without pinching the skin. Keep the tweezers perpendicular to the skin and pull firmly to loosen and remove the tick. Inspect the bite site and use the tweezers to pull out any parts remaining in the skin, such as the tick's mouth.
4. Save the tick. Place the tick into a small, resealable plastic bag. This allows for easy transport to the veterinarian's office, where the vet will test the tick for Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever and suggest a course of treatment for the animal.
5. Disinfect the site of the wound. To help prevent infection, use soap and water to clean the bite area, being sure to wear rubber gloves as additional protection against disease transmission. A cotton swab is useful for applying the antibiotic cream accurately. Wash your hands after removing a tick from an animal.
Tags: Lyme disease, Mountain spotted, Mountain spotted fever, remove tick, removing tick, Rocky Mountain, Rocky Mountain spotted