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Tick Removal

See Also
1. Tick-Borne Disease
Technique: Manual tick extraction
1. Tools
  1. Blunt angled forceps with medium size tips
  2. Specific tick removal devices
    1. Sawyer Tick Pliers (B & A Products)
    2. Pro-Tick Remedy (SCS Limited)
    3. Ticked Off (Ticked Off, inc.)
2. Removal
  1. Grasp tick as close to embedded mouth as possible
  2. Pull perpendicular to skin without twisting
3. Post-extraction care
  1. Apply antiseptic to extraction sites
  2. Observe for complication signs (e.g. local infection)
  3. See Lyme Disease for post-exposure prophylaxis
Precautions: Methods to avoid
1. Avoid using sharp forceps
2. Avoid crushing or puncturing tick body
3. Do not apply solvents to tick
4. Do not apply Lidocaine, gas, Vaseline to tick
5. Do not apply hot match or nail to tick
6. Do not twist tick head to remove
7. Do not thread Suture Needle through tick
References
1. Haynes in Pfenninger (1994) Procedures, p. 125-6
2. Gammons (2002) Am Fam Physician 66:643

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This page was written by Scott Moses, MD. This page was last revised before 5/10/08, prior to consistent tracking of revision date. This page was last published on 5/10/2008. Please send comments and questions to the editor. Contact information may be found on the page About the Family Practice Notebook. These pages are best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0.