Trick for removing ticks

[Tom McRae]

Does this work?

I heard about this trick several months ago but just got a chance to try it out this morning. It seemed to work, but one test does not prove or disprove a theory.

The idea that alcohol burns the tick and causes it to relax it’s grip sounds good, but liquid alcohol doesn’t stay in place long enough to work. Hand sanitizer is mostly jellied alcohol. Place a glob of hand sanitizer on the tick and after a couple minutes remove the tick.

This morning the little bugger didn’t want to let go until after she had soaked in hand sanitizer for a while.

Since all of us venture into areas where ticks live, let’s test this theory out and report back.

Thanks,
Tom

[Mike Magee]

My wife read recently that liquid soap does the trick. Well, I got the first tick ever while at Petit Jean SP a week ago. Tried the soap for a half minute and thought it was doing some good, but in the end it still took 3 tries with the tweezers to get the bugger out. I have a big itchy red welt.

[FelixVW]

Just watch out that the welt isn't a bull's eye. I get two or three a day working outdoors in the Virginia summer.. and have run into nests- that's when you peel back a sock and your ankle looks like it's wearing a dress sock. I have no love for ticks. The seed ticks are a pain but I usually just pull them and the big ones off with fingernails. I keep hearing that open flame, etc. makes them bite before letting go. No idea about the soap- though they've survived my showering with dish detergent (to dry up poison ivy) so not too hopeful about that either.

[jack maloney]

Wood ticks are a major plague in Minnesota, and I've been removing them for years from my hunting springer spaniels. Best thing I've used is a gadget called Pro-Tick Remedy ticklifter - a flat stainless probe with a narrow V-shaped slot in the end. You slide the slot between the tick and the skin, to the bottom of the V, and lift it off. Works extremely well with wood ticks, but unfortunately the lyme disease bearing deer ticks are too small and slip right through the slot. You can check it out here: Protick remedy

Various home remedies have included coating the tick with nail polish, liquid soap, lighter fluid, etc., or burning it with a cigaret. None of these works very well. Using tweezers tends to tear off the tick's body and leave the head/mouth stuck in the skin, leading to infection.

I remove hundreds of ticks from my dog every year, and I still don't find 'em all until they swell up with blood and can be picked off with my fingers. Best solution for ticks is eternal vigilance and persistence. Examine yourself, your kids, your pets thoroughly after any outing in tick country.

[RRIZZO]

What about topical flea/tick applications?

[Hazel in Sk]

We use a topical medication on our dogs.

For humans we follow the instructions from reputable medical sources - here is one from the US -

http://www.cdc.gov/ticks/removing_a_tick.html

and one from Canada.
http://www.healthlinkbc.ca/kb/content/special/tp23585spec.html

They both suggest tweezers and say to NOT use use soap etc.

I don't think I've ever seen any of the special tools designed for removing the little monsters.

[Scouter Dave]

I guess I had better do some research. I have never seen or experienced ticks. I'm told that they have been found at Sandbanks Provincial Park in Burgeo, NL and I hope to get there later this summer. D.

[jen b]

I just kind of yank 'em out and hope for the best.

BTW, the bullseye welt can be a warning sign for Lyme, but Lyme can happen without it. Yep, found that out myself! Last year the man and I had Lyme (me) and rocky mountain spotted fever (him) at the same time. Very romantic. We spend a lot of time doing wildlife photography and slithering around in the weeds so ticks and chiggers are a constant nuisance.

[rgrugg]

We use hydrogen peroxide. The ticks we've used it on have just backed right out.

[sparky1]

If you don't want to (Burn the tick)-some "pop" get a small Baby food Jar "Screw lid" add alcohol---pull tick off---drop them in the Jar---they Die---.
"show & tell" friends how many you killed..make it a game.
ha-ha- sparky1.

[Donna D.]

You people are making me itch

[Roy in TO]

Calamine lotion works for that Donna, not too sure how it works on ticks though.

[Marg]

Please don't pull the tick out, it leaves a good chance for infection due to the little critter's head still in your flesh. Alcohol seems like it would kill the little beast, but maybe not. Anything that will cut off the oxygen to the tick should do the trick. Some items, soap, oil, hand lotion, etc. will work, some will take a little longer to work. If he doesn't want to back out, then with your twesers twist the little bugger COUNTER CLOCK-WISE. He will come out after a few twists and a gentle pull. Just don't grab the tick and pull. Marg in NW California

[BCDave]

Originally Posted by Roy in TO

Calamine lotion works for that Donna, not too sure how it works on ticks though.

How would you know if the tick is still itchy?

[Andrew GPSMapNut]

Originally Posted by Marg

Please don't pull the tick out,
>>>>>>

All of the US and Canadian official health resources that I could find do not agree with your point of view. They all recommend pretty much exactly the same technique which is (quote from one of Ontario's sources):

"Using fine-tipped tweezers, carefully grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible. Pull it straight out, gently but firmly.
Don't squeeze it. Squeezing the tick can cause the Lyme disease agent to be accidentally introduced into your body."
All of them also agree that, to quote US CDC
"Avoid folklore remedies such as "painting" the tick with nail polish or petroleum jelly, or using heat to make the tick detach from the skin."

I do not remember the source but I do remember reading that the reason for NOT putting anything on the tick is that a tick, in order to release, regurgitates into the victim's body. This is precisely what one wants to avoid because the regurgitation at the end of feeding is how victims get infected.
In essence; you do not want a tick to willingly back out. You want to squeeze it by the head and pull out.

[bkboler]

Ive always heard that coating the back of a tick with anything to cut off its oxygen leaves the chance that it might suffocate and die while the head is still under the skin. I use a lighter and heat the back side of a spoon then lightly tap on the back of the tick. Usually after a few taps it will back out, head intact. Dab a little polysporin on the spot and good to go. Heart of Manitoba tick season, from May to, I believe the beginning of July.

[bkboler]

I'm guessing #15 was written the same time as mine #16. Guess I'll rethink the heated spoon remedy. Good to know, Thanks Andrew.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

You people are making me itch

The whole topic is getting me ticked off.

Fortunately, I have never had a tick on me, though going through NE/Central Oregon a couple years ago, I did have to pluck a bunch off our dog.

[bomni]

Originally Posted by Andrew GPSMapNut

All of the US and Canadian official health resources that I could find do not agree with your point of view. They all recommend pretty much exactly the same technique which is (quote from one of Ontario's sources):

"Using fine-tipped tweezers, carefully grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible. Pull it straight out, gently but firmly.
Don't squeeze it. Squeezing the tick can cause the Lyme disease agent to be accidentally introduced into your body."
All of them also agree that, to quote US CDC
"Avoid folklore remedies such as "painting" the tick with nail polish or petroleum jelly, or using heat to make the tick detach from the skin."

I do not remember the source but I do remember reading that the reason for NOT putting anything on the tick is that a tick, in order to release, regurgitates into the victim's body. This is precisely what one wants to avoid because the regurgitation at the end of feeding is how victims get infected.
In essence; you do not want a tick to willingly back out. You want to squeeze it by the head and pull out.

I was recently reading the exact same info in an article. I believe it was a Canadian Geographic or one similar. The article explained in detail that putting any type of vasoline, nail polish etc. etc. caused a much higher incidence of infection because it caused the tick to regurgitate. In the past we always used a cigarette or hot tweezers...we now use a "Tick Twister" which we bought at the vet. It has worked almost every time to get the tick & it's head out. If the head does come off, just leave it, your body will eventually push it out via the handy inflammatory response process (i.e. it will behave like any foreign body under your skin & eventually be pushed out). Just keep it clean & once the head does come out clean the area really well with soap & water and put an antibiotic ointment on it.

Our dogs get ticks here a lot, one big thing that we do it check them as soon as we get home from a hike. If they have been through long wet grass, we usually find a few not yet attached (huskies luckily have a lot of hair to maneuver through before they can bite). If we find some on them we give ourselves a good check too, so far we haven't been bitten.

[RRIZZO]

HATE THEM * HATE THEM * HATE THEM. Once picked off over 180 from a dog rescued from a So. Cal.. animal shelter. Lyme and Rocky Mtn are nothing you want to get. We keep topical on our dogs and try not to get them into heavy brush. Avon Skin So Soft as a topical is recommended by many. All the info about the tick remover instrument and good sharp tweezers is best. Never do removal in your home or RV.