Correct tick removal using a Tool
There are a number of tick-removal tools on the market all over the world. All claim to be safe and efficient but this may not always be the case. The most important aspects of tick removal are:
- The mouth parts of the tick should be cleanly removed along with the rest of its body.
- The body of the tick must not be compressed.
- The tick should not be stressed or injured, because this can cause it to regurgitate its blood meal along with any infective organisms.
- The tick should be removed without causing the host any discomfort.
As an independent organisation, we are not affiliated with the manufacturers of any tick-removal products. We have reviewed a number of devices that are available in the UK and through studies, and our own experience, one product has proved its efficiency.
The O'Tom Tick Twister is favoured by professionals (veterinary, medical, forestry and field workers etc), as well as by members of the general public.
In a comparison study of four different tick-removal devices, published in the Veterinary Record (2006, 159, 526-529), the O'Tom Tick Twister was compared with surgical forceps, a pen-tweezer device, and a tempered steel tool (slit and traction action). The O'Tom Tick Twister proved to be significantly better than the other devices for the time required to remove the tick, the ease with which the tick was grabbed, the force needed to extract the tick, the reaction of the animal and the condition of the tick's mouth parts.
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The O'Tom Tick Twister
Why is it safe to twist with this tool?
When using tweezers / forceps, the tick is grabbed close to the skin. Twisting the tick then exerts pressure to its mouth parts, which can cause them to break off. The Tick Twister cradles the body of the tick and doesn't exert pressure to either its mouth parts or its abdomen. It can therefore be safely twisted, which allows the barbs on the tick's proboscis to be freed from the surrounding tissue. Because the tool doesn't cause any compression to the body of the tick, it minimises the risk of disease transmission.
The Tick Twister is suitable for the removal of ticks from both humans and animals and can be disinfected with normal disinfectants or sterilised in an autoclave at 284°F (140°C). The product is made from recyclable plastic, which can also be incinerated without pollution (no chlorine fumes during combustion).
Tick Removal Instructions
Ideally, wear rubber / plastic gloves or, in the absence of gloves, shield fingers with tissue or paper.
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Choose the most suitable O'Tom Tick Twister hook, according to the size of the tick (each pack contains two sizes, one for adult ticks and one for the tiny nymph ticks).
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Engage the hook by approaching the tick from the side (the body of the tick is flat) until it is held securely.
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Lift the hook very lightly and TURN IT (screwing or unscrewing). The tick detaches itself after 2-3 rotations.
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After removing the tick, disinfect the bite site and wash hands with soap and water.
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Save the tick for identification in case you become ill within several weeks. Write the date of the bite in pencil on a piece of paper and put it with the tick in a sealed plastic bag and store it in a freezer. Your doctor can use the information to assist in making an accurate diagnosis. Although not every tick carries Borreliosis or any of the associated co-infections, immediate removal of an attached tick is recommended.
DO NOT use petroleum jelly, any liquid solutions, or freeze / burn the tick, as this will stimulate it to regurgitate its stomach contents, increasing the chance of infection.
O'Tom Tick Twister instructions illustrated
