Is there an easy way to remove ticks? I heard of one using cotton balls, but can't remember what the cotton ball was dipped in. Thanks and God bless.
By Joan from Lewes
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Cotton Balls or Qtips dipped in alcohol. Let it sit for a few seconds. Then grab the tweezers. It is vital that you tweeze as close to the skin as possible so that they head doesn't stay lodged into the skin. pull it out and flush it down the toilet!
You can get the info from Google. Do NOT use alcohol as the previous poster suggested.
Do not twist the tick or turn the tweezers as you pull out the tick. Pull out straight with a slow, steady motion. Twisting may force more organisms into your body, and may result in the head or more of the mouthparts being left in your body.
Do not apply any substances to the tick before removing it, no alcohol or nail polish, no petroleum jelly or other ointments, and do not try to burn it out or otherwise convince to let go of you. It won't let go. It will just happily keep on sucking your blood and pumping pathogens into you.
I bought a neat little tool for tick removal at "Pets at home". Looks easy to use and was cheap to buy. As yet I haven't had a need to use it. I believe that you must always remove the head of the tick. Hope this helps you.
Hello,
Do Not use alcohol! You can get a tool to remove them at your local pet store or you can always go to a Veterinarian and they will remove the tick for you.
Thanks to all who responded. The liquid soap email (which is supposed to be false) is the one I was looking for. I plan to at least try it before I agree its just household lore. Thanks again and God bless.
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What is the best way to remove a tick from a human when it has started to bury in?
By Barbara
Go to google.com and type in "removing ticks." There will be many sites for you to look at.
I was able to successfully remove an engorged woodtick off my dog, head and all, without having to actually touch the tick. The goal is to get it to come out head and all while it is alive. The reason for this is because the tick is able to separate it's body from it's head. The head will then die while still under the skin, and possibly cause an infection in much the same way a sliver would.
(We found out that the stories about the ticks head continuing to live and burrow into the body is just the myths of urban legends). I'm sure this will work even if the tick isn't full of blood yet.First, you have to squeeze the dog's skin underneath where the tick's mouth has gone into the flesh. Don't worry if you lose your grip on the skin, just continue to squeeze as if you're trying to squeeze out a big pimple. You will want to have another set of hands as I did to help you to be able to add the next step.
For the next step, you have to have rubbing alcohol that's in a spray bottle. Then, where you can see the tick's mouth going into the dog's flesh, spray liberally. It doesn't matter if you get it on the tick's body as well. I just kept spraying some, then I'd wait a few seconds, then spray again. Don't worry about the alcohol killing the tick, as they are hard to kill. After about a minute, or maybe two at the most, the tick backed itself out.
This is when you want to have a jar with rubbing alcohol in it to drown the tick. This will take a few hours, because, as I said before, they are hard to kill.
If I ever have to repeat this experience, (I hope I don't.) I would like to try vinegar to replace the rubbing alcohol, as I think it would work just as well. This tip would probably be helpful to remove ticks on humans also.
I apologize for the itching. You should see me as I submit this tip. My skin is crawling!
By Yvonne from Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, Canada
I have an easier way. Take fingernail polish and simply continuously coat the tick until it literally falls off, head and all.
I first used a green, but I recommend a clear coat. Green looks a little funny and I wouldn't use polish remover on my pet. (06/26/2009)
By Rose
Most folks have no idea what kind of tick is on them. Ticks carry horrible diseases and if removed improperly with things like alcohol, soap, or any other liquid, grabbing with finger nails or any other way that can cause the tick to empty its guts into you and you will have whatever disease it carries.
Don't use petroleum jelly, a hot match, nail polish, or other products to remove a tick.
Never use any liquids including soap or a hot match (the flame has been extinguished), as these can cause the tick to empty it's gut into the person.
http://www.snopes.com/oldwives/tick.asp
http://www.placervillevet.com/ticktools.htm
Second half of video is Straw and Knot Method
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YQcSyVLUhw
One of the safest ways is the straw and knot method:
Use an ordinary drinking straw and place it at a 45 degree angle over the tick (the straw is simply being used as a guide to direct the knot). Next, take a length of thread and tie a loose knot at the top or midsection of the straw. Now, slide your knot down the straw to the site. Position the knot underneath the tick's belly, so that the knot will encircle the embedded part only. Slowly tighten the knot to close snugly around the jaws. Now, remove the straw and pull the thread in a steady upward motion. This will cause the tick to detach, without regurgitation.
This is a commercial version of the Straw and Knot method:
http://www.tickremover.com/
Jim in Jax (06/30/2009)
By Jim
This tip is great, because it works in those places where it's sometimes difficult to get to with tweezers: between toes, in the middle of a head full of dark hair, etc.
Apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball. Cover the tick with the soap-soaked cotton ball and swab it for a few seconds (15-20), the tick will come out on it's own and be stuck to the cotton ball when you lift it away. This technique has worked every time I've used it (and in KY, that was frequently), and it's much less traumatic for the patient and easier for me. Unless someone is allergic to soap, I can't see that this would be damaging in any way. I even had my doctor's wife call me for advice because she had one stuck to her back and she couldn't reach it with tweezers. She used this method and immediately called me back to say, "It worked!"
Thanks to Martin and Dear Webby for this tip.
I'm guessing this would also work for dogs?
Editor's Note: I think it would work for dogs or cats. (07/02/2006)
By Ashley
My niece was visiting a boyfriend in Kentucky last year and got a tick that no one could seem to get to come out. She ended up going to the ER at the hospital to get it removed. Thanks for the great tip! (07/06/2006)
By Dede
Rec'd this in my urban legend update tonight:
Ticked OffClaim: A good way to remove an embedded tick is to swab liquid soap on it.
Status: False.
Example: [Collected via e-mail, 2006]
A School Nurse has written the info below:
I had a pediatrician tell me what she believes is the best way to remove a tick. This is great, because it works in those places where it's some times difficult to get to with tweezers: between toes, in the middle of a head full of dark hair, etc.
Apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball. Cover the tick with the soap-soaked cotton ball and swab it for a few seconds (15-20), the tick will come out on it's own and be stuck to the cotton ball when you lift it away.
This technique has worked every time I've used it (and that was frequently), and it's much less traumatic for the patient and easier for me.
Unless someone is allergic to soap, I can't see that this would be damaging in any way. I even had my doctor's wife call me for advice because she had one stuck to her back and she couldn't reach it with tweezers. She used this method and immediately called me back to say, 'It worked!'"
Origins: Although this particular e-mail began circulating on the Internet in May 2006, the advice it attempts to impart is far older. Household lore is replete with tick removal suggestions that involve covering or coating the embedded arachnid with a substance it will find objectionable. Other long-lived suggestions include touching a lit match or hot needle to the tick's rear and tickling its underside in an effort to persuade it to release its bite.
However, those in the know about tick removal warn against these home remedies. Countermeasures of such nature sometimes do little to encourage a tick
to detach from skin and may make matters worse by stimulating the creature to release additional saliva or regurgitate its gut contents, acts that increase the chance of its transmitting a pathogen to its host.In addition to their being repulsive-looking bugs that survive by latching onto warm-blooded victims to suck blood from them, there is another reason to regard ticks with horror: they can deliver a deadly payload of disease to those they are making a meal of. These arachnids feed by burrowing their heads into skin, a method that introduces their body fluids into their victims. If those fluids are disease-laden, those microbes will be passed to the ones being dined upon. However, it generally takes at least 12 to 24 hours of feeding before an infected tick can spread disease to its host, so speedy removal of these parasites is therefore key to avoiding tick-borne illness, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Ehrlichia.
As to how to remove a tick: With tweezers, grasp the parasite close to the skin and pull it straight out.
If you must use your fingers rather than tweezers for this operation, cover them with a tissue during the procedure and wash them after the tick has been dispatched.
Do not twist or jerk the tick; this could cause the creature's head to separate from its body, leaving its mouthparts lodged in your skin.
Wash the bite with antiseptic and place the tick inside a plastic container marked with the date in case it is later needed for verification of illness.
Nail polish and petroleum jelly are not good ideas for tick removal because the tick has enough air to complete its feeding before dropping off.
To reduce your chances of becoming a tick's dinner:
Avoid tick-prone areas whenever possible.When in areas where ticks may be present, wear clothing that covers the arms and legs, with cuffs fastened and pants tucked into boots and socks.
Use a tick repellent that contains DEET and reapply it every 1-2 hours for maximum protection.
After any outdoor excursion into areas where ticks are commonly found, adults should check themselves and their children. Your four-legged friends should be checked for ticks too, because dogs and cats can also be felled by the diseases spread by these blood-sucking creatures.
(07/08/2006)Easy Tick Removal is WRONG
Please remove this from the website because it gives dangerously wrong information. It is an urban myth and old wives tale. Please read the Lyme Disease Foundation's instructions for tick removal at http://www.lyme.org/ticks/removal.html (06/15/2007)
By Suzanne
Easy Tick Removal
I've never encountered anything easier! I used this on my dog and there were no matches, no tweezers, no pain and no mess! (12/17/2007)
By Elle
Easy Tick Removal
I just tried to remove a tick from my dogs head with the liquid soap and cotton ball method. I must let everyone know it absolutely does work. The tick in its entirety came out on the cotton ball and all is well. So it is definitely not an old wife's tale. (11/09/2008)
By cmatarese
Easy Tick Removal
Tweezers tend to squeeze the tick and inject the juices. My preferred method is tie a simple knot around the head end with some cotton thread. Polyester thread is stronger. You then pull it out with both ends of the thread. Fast or slow pulls both hurt a bit. (12/23/2008)
By Jon
Easy Tick Removal
Hi Folks. I have a great 14 year old Jack Russell Jake (a.k.a. "Turbo") He had a tick on his neck. Using the Soft soap in a cotton ball trick, I held on to the tick for 1 minute. It came loose easily and completely. Head and All! Isopropyl alcohol didn't work. Dish detergent didn't work. "Soft Soap" hand soap did. Much better than tweezers!
Thanks cmatarese!A very good tip! Kirk and my smiling "Turbo" unit :-) (05/07/2009)
