Tick Kit – Make One for Your Family Today

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With spring upon us, it is time to start enjoying fun outdoor activities and, unfortunately, also worrying about bugs. In particular, ticks are a concern when venturing outside. Ticks are small arachnids that are ectoparasites that live by feeding on the blood of mammals, such as pets and humans. Ticks tend to be present in fields, woods, long grass, trees, under leaves, around stone walls and wood piles, and other outdoor spaces. Some ticks can carry pathogens that can cause human diseases. Although Lyme disease is the most commonly known, ticks can transmit a number of different tick-borne diseases.

It is always best to be prepared for tick season, and the best way to do that is to prepare a tick kit. The tick kit should be easy to access and easy to use so that the tick can be easily and quickly removed. I like to keep a tick kit in the house and one in the car. This way the kit is easily available even on the go.



Tick Kit Items:

One heavy duty resealable bag and 3 resealable sandwich bags


Permanent marker

Long point/fine-tipped tweezers



Individually wrapped alcohol swabs


Band aids


Instructions on how to remove a tick (print this post or the CDC link on tick removal)

Take the heavy duty resealable bag and label as a tick kit. I like to use a freezer-style quart sized bag as they are more heavy duty and easy to see inside. Within the bag, place long point tweezers, sandwich bags, permanent marker, the alcohol swabs, the band aids, and the instructions.

Instructions:


1. Using the fine-tipped tweezers, grasp the tick close to the skin's surface.


2. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Do not twist the tick. Make sure all parts of the tick are removed.


3. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.


4. Dispose of a live tick by submersing in alcohol and placing in the resealable sandwich bag or another container. Never crush a tick with your fingers.


5. Label the bag with the date, location of the tick, and location of the bite.


If you develop a rash, fever or any other symptoms within several weeks of removing the tick, visit your doctor and provide the information on when you received the tick bite and where you most likely acquired it. For more information on these instructions, visit the CDC website on Tick Removal.



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