Individuals who notice ticks on themselves or their pets should take care removing the parasites to avoid transmission of any diseases. A person should never grab or squeeze a tick’s body, particularly if it appears bloated. Instead, gradual traction on the tick’s head with small forceps will dislodge the parasite without risking transmission. Often-recommended methods such as matches, petroleum jelly, and other irritants are not effective methods of tick removal and may increase the risk of disease transmission. After removing the tick, rubbing alcohol can reduce the chance of infection.

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