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A tick bite carries numerous risks, so never ignore it. Examine the entire body carefully after each walk. If you spot an arachnid, remove it immediately. Check how to do it!
Season for ticks
There is a belief that ticks attack only in spring and summer. Nothing could be more wrong! A few warmer days in autumn or winter may result in an outbreak of these parasites. Higher body temperature plays a key role here, which is why arachnids can attack all year round.
We are exposed to ticks during dog walks, picnics in the meadows, stays in the woods or working in the garden. They attack at any time of the day, especially in the morning and afternoon. They choose foraging places where there are potential victims, i.e. on paths in the park or even in the neighborhood. Whether you live in the countryside or in the city, you cannot feel safe.
Importantly, the tick can appear anywhere – whether on a tree, on the ground or in the grass, so check the entire body after each stay outside. Pay special attention to the armpits, buttocks, groin, and the inside of the arm. Forceps bites are equally common in the depression under the knee. Also, be sure to check the feet, hands, elbows and head.
What are the dangers of ticks?
One of the main threats is Lyme disease, which develops as a result of infection with Borellia burgdorferi bacteria. Initially, the disease is asymptomatic. The characteristic erythema, resembling a red ring, appears only a few weeks after the tick bite. Sometimes it is accompanied by fever, imbalance, fatigue, muscle pain or drowsiness.
The second dangerous disease transmitted by these arachnids is tick-borne encephalitis. The first phase usually lasts 7 days. It manifests itself as muscle and joint pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Occasionally, there is also a fever, a feeling of breakdown, and chills. In most cases, the body fights the infection on its own. Otherwise, tick-borne encephalitis enters the neuro-infection phase.
In tetrapods, ticks can cause babesiosis. The first symptoms, as in the case of Lyme disease, may appear from several to several dozen days after the injection. Therefore, carefully examine the entire pet, even after a short walk. Thanks to this, you will be able to react in time. Babesiosis usually presents with general weakness, fever, increased heart rate and dark red urine. The pet may also develop shortness of breath, yellowing of the eyeball or neurological problems.
Remember to remove the tick as soon as possible. The timing of the removal of the parasite plays a key role here. Initially, the tick settles in the body and is engaged in this activity, only then sucks blood. Therefore, never underestimate it and do not delay its removal. There is then a good chance that the tick has not introduced the toxin yet.
What not to do when removing a tick?
Remember to never remove the tick with your fingers, needle or nail clippers. You will only tear off the abdomen and the head and torso will still remain in the skin.
If you see an embedded tick, do not tear it, crush it, or burn it. Do not smear it with greasy products, alcohol, gasoline or nail polish. These substances do not help, on the contrary, they increase the risk of infection with the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. Do not squeeze the tick, try to remove it with one strong pull. You don’t have to worry then that the parasite’s hypostome (lanceolate mouth) will remain in the skin.
If the tick is in a hard-to-reach place, do not try to reach it yourself. There is a risk that you will not get rid of it completely. Better ask someone for help. Any unnecessary manipulation with the tick threatens to withdraw its contents and introduce toxins into the human bloodstream.
How to safely remove a tick?
There are several specialized tools in pharmacies with which you can safely remove a tick. It is worth ensuring that they are in our home first aid kit, because all the precautions we take are not able to guarantee 100% protection.
If you want to get rid of a tick quickly and skillfully, pay attention to the TRIX ™ lasso, a reliable and safe Swedish tick remover. It is a class I medical device, which means that it has been positively verified at the Office for Registration of Medicinal Products, Medical Devices and Biocidal Products. You can use it many times – just disinfect it after each use. It is intended for both humans and animals. It is worth emphasizing that it removes the entire parasite in a simple and painless way. Thanks to this, it protects you against many diseases transmitted by ticks. It allows you to remove arachnid from ears, coarse hair and other hard-to-reach places, regardless of its size.
Trix ™ is recommended by both doctors and vets. They emphasize its high efficiency. The device has a lasso design that allows the ticks to be unscrewed properly, in an unnoticeable way, thus preventing dangerous infections. The loop is made of durable, modern carbon fiber. The vial attached to each package allows the tick to be delivered to the laboratory. This way you will check if it has been infected if you develop disturbing symptoms. Until then, keep the parasite in a cool place, sealed in a vial.
Remember to disinfect the wound after a tick bite after the procedure. Rinse it with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide to eliminate possible pathogens. Watch the skin, if redness appears, see a doctor.
If you want to remove a tick with a pair of tweezers, grab the tick’s head as close to the skin as possible. Pull it out carefully with a constant force along the puncture axis. However, do not make rotational movements. Otherwise, you can tear off the torso of the tick or crush it. Do not hold him by his full belly as you may accidentally cause his infected guts to enter your bloodstream, increasing the risk of infection. You can get rid of the tick with tweezers, but you must remember that this is a substitute with questionable effectiveness.