r/CampingandHiking • u/CartoonistNo3755 • 22h ago

Tick on me

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Hello everyone. I found a tick on me I presume it latched onto me over 24 hours ago when I was hiking.

I felt it on my side and yanked it off before knowing what it is and pulled this guy off. It was still alive and moving when I pulled it off.

I don’t have rubbing alcohol and am freaaaaking out because the area he latched onto is a bit swollen. About the size of a small mosquito bite.

Any advice would be appreciated

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1

u/rrawlings1 22h ago

Save it in a plastic bag if you have one, you can send it in and have it tested.

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u/Odd-Scientist-2529 18h ago

who do you think you are you going to send it to for testing?

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u/rrawlings1 5h ago

There are no shortage of labs that you can send them to. Why do you ask?

1

u/Odd-Scientist-2529 4h ago

Because most labs have stopped accepting them. Have you checked lately? 

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u/rrawlings1 4h ago

Just via Google. I have not personally called, nor have I sent one in. I just thought it was still an option. Pennsylvania seems to have many.

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u/Odd-Scientist-2529 4h ago

Medical labs have (generally) stopped accepting ticks because the more useful piece of data is in observing the person who was bitten. Along with that goes the lack of funding for that testing. 

Commercial labs do still test ticks for a fee. 

So you would need to be aware of the difference so you know how/where to get that testing done (at a commercial lab). 

1

u/CartoonistNo3755 22h ago

Thank you for this! I did save him in a bag

4

u/superlewis 21h ago

The CDC recommends against sending it in for what it’s worth.

0

u/Odd-Scientist-2529 18h ago edited 18h ago

thats not really a thing any more. Most labs don't accept ticks and dont test them any more.