Wood Tick (Dog Tick) This is a picture of a brown Wood Tick.
The Wood Tick (also called dog tick) can sometimes transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Colorado tick fever.
Deer Tick (Black-Legged Tick) The Deer Tick (also called black-legged tick) is between the size of a poppy seed and an apple seed.
The deer tick is found on a wide rage of hosts including mammals, birds and reptiles.
This tick can transmit Lyme disease to humans and animals during feeding; this occurs when the tick insert its mouth parts into the skin of a host and slowly ingests the host's blood.
First Aid - Removing a Tick Wood Tick Removal:
- Use a pair of tweezers and grasp the wood tick close to the skin (on its head). See image.
- Pull the wood tick straight upward without twisting or crushing it. Maintain a steady pressure until it releases its grip.
- If tweezers aren't available, use fingers, a loop of thread around the jaws, or a needle between the jaws for traction.
Tiny Deer Tick Removal:
- Needs to be scraped off with a knife blade or credit card edge.
- Place tick in a sealed container (e.g., glass jar, zip lock plastic bag), in case your doctor wants to see it.
Note: Covering the tick with petroleum jelly, nail polish or rubbing alcohol doesn't work. Neither does touching the tick with a hot (like a match) or cold object.
Erythema Migrans Rash The majority of cases of Lyme disease start with a bull's eye rash at the site of the tick bite. The rash can occur days to weeks (typically 7-10 days) after a tick bite.
Treatment with antibiotics is indicated if this rash appears.
It is thought that Lyme Disease can be prevented if the tick is removed within 24 hours of attachment.
Tick on Scalp This shows a tick feeding on the scalp.