Editor's note: the above video was created in 2017.
The Washington State Department of Health is asking people to send in any ticks they find on themselves or on their pets to help assess the region's tick population and risk for diseases borne by the parasites.
Carefully remove the tick and put it in a container with a few blades of grass. Send a Tick Identification Submission Form with the container to the state Department of Health. They will tell you the species of the tick after they identify it.
Tips for removing a tick
- Use fine-tipped tweezers
- Grab the tick as close to the skin as possible
- Pull the tick off with even pressure to make sure all of it is taken out
- Write down the the day you found the tick in case any symptoms develop
Ticks can spread diseases like Lyme Disease, Tick-borne relapsing fever and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, among others. According to the state Department of Health, Washington has a relatively low number of cases of tick-borne illnesses compared to other areas in the country.
Learn more about how to protect yourself and your pets from tick bites if you do find one on the state's Department of Health website.
