VuxLore news
Found a Tick on Yourself or a Pet? What to Do Next
A calm, practical guide to prompt tick removal, recording useful details, checking pets and knowing when professional advice is appropriate.
Finding a tick can be unsettling, especially after a walk, a day in the garden or time with a pet outdoors. The key is to stay calm: remove an attached tick promptly, avoid improvised methods, clean the area, then monitor for symptoms or concerns.
1. Remove an attached tick promptly
Use a tick-removal tool according to its instructions or clean fine-tipped tweezers. Position the tool close to the skin, avoid squeezing the tick’s body, and remove it with steady pressure. If a tick is on a pet, keep the animal calm and ask a veterinary professional for help if the area is difficult to reach, the pet is distressed, or you are unsure how to proceed.
VuxLore offers several tool formats for different storage and grip preferences: MAX, TRIO and POCKET. The relevant instructions should always be read before use.
2. Avoid common myths
Do not use heat, petroleum jelly, oils, nail varnish or similar substances to try to make a tick release. These methods are not recommended. Do not delay removal in order to find a specialist tool or wait for a medical appointment if suitable fine-tipped tweezers are already available.
3. Clean and record useful details
After removal, clean the bite area and your hands. Record the date, likely location and whether the tick was attached to a person or animal. A photograph can help later with identification, but a photo alone cannot confirm a species or diagnose infection.
Use the Tick ID Centre for visual species information and the Global Tick Hub for regional context. UK visitors can submit ticks for surveillance through the UKHSA Tick Surveillance Scheme.
4. Check for more ticks
Check the rest of the body, clothing and equipment; more than one tick can be present. For children, pay particular attention to the scalp, hairline, behind the ears and skin folds. For pets, inspect areas including around the ears, collar line, under the legs and between the toes. Continue routine parasite prevention for pets as advised by a veterinary professional.
5. Know when to seek advice
After a tick bite, seek medical advice if a spreading rash, fever, flu-like symptoms or other illness develops in the following days or weeks. In the UK, NHS guidance advises contacting a GP if you think you may have Lyme disease. For animals, contact a vet if your pet becomes unwell, the site looks concerning, or removal was incomplete or difficult.
For a fuller symptom-focused guide, read what to do after a tick bite and Lyme disease awareness: when to seek medical advice.