Ticks and Lyme's Disease

[Steven P]

This thread reminded me to do some reading - I really should get an extractor tool (was looking at the trail cam from the wood last night, the deer are quite enjoying it this year) - in a push you can cut a 'V' in the corner of a credit card, angle the edges like a knife edge (not too sharp) and the youtube reckons it works as well as a credit card tick remover tool you can buy... added bonus is I am likely to have a card with me when out and about for emergency coffee or ice cream

[Haironyourchest]

1 hour ago, sime42 said:

The twist/no twist dilemma is an odd one. It seems to depend entirely on the type of tick tool or tweezers that you're using. The instructions on some are adamant that only a pull should be used, others say a twist and a pull. Doesn't make much sense to me as all devices are essentially the same thing; a design to grip the tick as close to the skin as possible.

 

There is however, consensus on not using anything else, substance or heat etc. For fear of aggravating the filthy things. Saying that though. Apparently in Romania the use of a tick freeze spray, (similar to wart remover stuff), is the standard method to get rid of them. It's readily available there. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interesting. Might make sense if the freezing also freezes the saliva/vomit before it has a chance to inject it. Maybe ticks respond differently to cold and don't vomit? Could be the way forward, I will look into it 👍

[sime42]

Yeah, that's what I figured..The spray just freezers the whole damn lot solid.

 

Let us know if you find a source for it. 

[Welshfred]

4 hours ago, Paul in the woods said:

 

You can twist in either direction. I'm surprised people still use heat or other substances on ticks these days as that goes against all advice which is easy to find.

 

From the site linked in the original post: 

 

Lyme Disease UK Online Support - How to Correctly Remove a Tick

LYMEDISEASEUK.COM

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If you find an embedded tick in your skin it's important to remove it as soon as possible, but just as important to remove it correctly.

 

 

Thanks. My advice was decades old, good to be re-educated. 

[Steven P]

For freezing you can get wart freeze spray from your local high street pharmacist if it works

[Rich Rule]

I use the pen type.  Press the button in the top and a snare comes out of the tip.  Slowly put it over the tick.  Let the snare tighten and twist out.  Worked every time.

 

we have a different one for the dog.  They work great.

 

 

 

[Haironyourchest]

I researched it - all the freeze sprays, wart and tick, are Dimethyl Ether. The tick, having such a small mass, should be flash frozen solid rapidly.

[AHPP]

47 minutes ago, Rich Rule said:

I use the pen type.  Press the button in the top and a snare comes out of the tip.  Slowly put it over the tick.  Let the snare tighten and twist out.  Worked every time.

 

we have a different one for the dog.  They work great.

 

 

 

 

 

Bloody climbers and their need for overengineered gear.

[JAG63]

Last confirmed one I had went to a walk in centre as I didn't have tweezers and got 'no lyme's disease in UK'  before they smothered it with vaseline, left it for 15 mins to give a fighting chance to regurgitate something then removed it. Got some tweezers same day.

 

[Haironyourchest]

Best type of tick tweezers, the slightly curved ones. The hook ones are more for engorged ticks on pets.

 

The finer tte point the better. I acquired some from a surgical supply place and they could still use some sharpening. Can't be pointy enough.

 

They do good for ticks, excellent for embedded thorns, blackthorn, briar etc. better than digging out with a needle, I can nearly go straight in and grab the thorn most times.

 

Sold as I grown hair tweezers..