First of all, don’t panic!

Things to know before getting started:

• Only about 0.7% of ticks in BC carry disease-causing agents.
• Ticks are arachnids, not insects. If it has six legs, it’s not a tick!
• If the tick is infected, the risk of acquiring a tick-borne disease increases the more time it stays attached.
• If the tick is moving freely, it can be brushed off into a sealable container or bag.
• If the tick has attached to your skin, you will need to take steps to remove it as soon as possible. This can be done using fine-tipped tweezers or a specialized tick removal device.

How to safely remove a tick:

• Find a pair of fine-tipped tweezers or a tick-removal device, and a sealable container to store the tick.
• Using your device, grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible. The aim is to grab the head of the tick, and to avoid putting pressure on the tick’s body.
• Slowly pull straight out, without twisting the tick, using firm, slow traction. Place the tick into a sealable container.
• If some parts of the tick break off and remain in the skin – don’t panic. Try to remove them with tweezers. If this isn’t possible, leave the area to heal itself.
• Wash your hands and the bite area with soap and water, or an alcohol-based sanitizer.
• Don’t forget to complete a head-to-toe tick check in case there are more ticks.

What should I do after I’ve removed a tick?

• Keep the tick in a sealed container or bag for at least 30 days. You can kill the tick by freezing it for several days or putting it in rubbing alcohol. Avoid crushing the tick with exposed fingers.
• Make note of the date, time, and location on your body where the tick was attached, how long it was attached, and where you were when you think the tick attached.
• If possible, upload a photo to etick.ca. They can identify the tick and tell you if it is a species that could carry disease or not, and provide advice on next steps.
• Monitor for symptoms of Lyme disease or other symptoms.

Reported incidence of locally-acquired Lyme disease cases in BC range from 0.02 to 0.33 cases per 100,000 population annually. Of the 101 confirmed, locally-acquired cases of Lyme disease reported since 2006, 38 were reported in the Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) region.

Did you know? Many people get ticks from their pets. Pets can be vaccinated against ticks!

Learn more about tick-borne diseases: www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/tick-borne-diseases

All information sourced from BC Centre for Disease Control (bccdc.ca)