Tick removal
In another post a member asked about a safe way to remove very small ticks as there is more likelihood of compressing the body of a small tick when using tweezers to manually remove them. It seems sensible to repeat the information given in reply on a thread devoted to tick removal.
Why are tweezers recommended to remove ticks?
The reason that we recommend manual removal of the tick while it is alive is because any method that causes injury or a slow death to a tick can increase the chances of infectious organisms being passed from the tick to the host. Ticks normally are well secured to the host during feeding by the barbs on the hypostome (the feeding tube that draws up the blood), and in some species, by the secretion of a cementing fluid. It takes ticks some effort to extract their mouthparts if disturbed. An engorged tick is more vulnerable because of the large volume of blood it carries. A fully fed hard tick female can be up to 120 times her original body size. By using topical insecticide, petroleum jelly, alcohol or a lighted match / cigarette, rather than using quick manual extraction, it is likely that the tick will regurgitate some or all of its meal in order to extract itself more swiftly.
Introduction of infectious organisms to the host can occur when the tick’s saliva is initially introduced to locally anesthetise the bite area, and to provide anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory effects, during the feeding process. However, causing the tick to regurgitate will almost certainly introduce infection to the host if the tick is carrying viral or bacterial organisms.
What are the safe alternatives?
We have received a high number of recommendations, from veterinary surgeons and other people in animal management, for a bespoke tick removal tool called “The Tick Twister”. As we have not conducted any trials on the safety of this tool, we cannot verify that it is safer than using tweezers, but agree that the method does seem to avoid the chances of compressing the tick’s body.
The advantage of this particular product is that the manufactures include two sizes of the device in one pack. The first is for adult ticks and the second for small ticks from 1/10th mm. They are available from the pet store chain “Pets at Home” and by mail order from a company called ‘Simply 2 Limited’ Tel: 01347 878002. Email: sales@simply2.com.
Veterinary surgeries can purchase the “Tick Twister” from the UK distributor:
Kevin Ingram
JAK marketing
Unit 2 The Industrial Estate
York Road
SHERIFF HUTTON
YORK, YO60 6RZ
www.jakmarketing.co.uk
Tel : 01347 878697
Fax : 01347 878308
e-mail : sales@jakmarketing.co.uk
We are currently investigating the availability of other, well recommended. tick removal / repellent products and will update our information accordingly.
If you would like to recommend a particular product, please contact the site administrator.