Top 5 Tick Removal Tools Under $10

Tick removal tools are a must-have for your training bag, for both you and your dog. Tick-borne diseases are found in all 50 states in the country. After you find an embedded tick, it's of vital importance to correctly remove it in a timely manner to best avoid the chances of disease transmission and secondary infection. While you may think that you have it covered with household tweezers, the unfortunate truth is that traditional tweezers are more likely to tear the tick, leaving the mouth parts embedded in the skin. This can create its own host of problems, no pun intended. Read on for some of the best products that Lion Country Supply has to offer for safe, effective tick removal.

LCS Tick and Flea Comb - $1.95

This product needs no introduction. Watch this short clip to see the effectiveness of this LCS Tick and Flea Comb at removing pests before attachment. The soft teeth on the double-sided comb are able to pull ticks out from deep in your dog’s coat. Best used alongside other flea and tick preventative products.

Tick Nipper – Tick Tweezers - $7.95

The Tick Nipper allows you to remove any tick of any size, even the smallest of deer ticks, following the CDC’s guidelines for safe tick removal, aided by a built-in 20X lens for easy identification. The Tick Nipper’s long, bowl-shaped jaws are thinner than the tips of traditional household tweezers, giving you better control without compressing the tick’s body. Incorrect removal of a tick may result in compression or puncturing of the tick's body and the mouth parts being left behind in the skin, risking secondary infections and unsightly lumps. Causing injury to the tick may allow for its saliva and gut contents to be regurgitated into the host via the bloodstream. These patented tick-removing pliers keep the narrow mouth parts intact because the jaws slide under the tick’s body without squeezing or cutting, thanks to the big stops between the handles. Upon pulling straight upward, the jaws exert pressure on the tick’s body; thus, removing the tick in its entirety effortlessly and painlessly.

TickEase Tick Removal Tweezers - $9.99

 Unfortunately, the cold hard truth is that traditional household tweezers are not designed nor equipped to handle the delicate removal needed for engorged ticks and certainly are not effective at removing nymph-stage ticks. A solution to this arose from a tick prevention specialist using quality stainless steel. The TickEase Tick Removal Tweezers are a 5.5” long, dual-sided device with both ends offering differing features, created with dual-usage for both humans and animals in mind. With one tool, you are prepared to remove ticks of all sizes, types, life stages, and levels of engorgement while complying with the CDC’s tick removal guidelines. The fine-tipped, pointy design was specifically crafted for small tick species and nymphs while the opposite end’s V-shaped scoop is for larger or engorged ticks. As an added benefit, the durable stainless steel is able to withstand the heat of an autoclave for sterilization. For proper use: Simply grip the tick with the most suitable end according to the size of tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible and carefully apply steady, upward pressure without twisting.

Tick Twister - $4.99

 A very popular tick removal tool is the Tick Twister, invented and designed by a French veterinarian in the 1990s. The injected polymer plastic design is recyclable, as it can be incinerated without producing pollution and is durable enough to withstand a number of disinfectants or solvents for proper clean. Each blister pack comes with two separate Tick Twister hooks in two sizes – a large one for removing engorged ticks and a small one for small tick species or nymphs. To use: Select the appropriate hook size depending on the size of tick. Approach the tick from the side until it is cradled in the hook. Next, very lightly lift the hook and begin to turn it. In two or three rotations, the tick detaches itself without causing pain in seconds. Because no squeezing is involved, the risk of secondary infection is reduced.

Tick Release - $5.95-$9.95

Tick Release is a safe, fast, and effective aid for removing attached ticks from animals, as well as humans. The all-organic citrus oil based tick removal liquid is poison-free and is approved by the EPA/FDA. Applying one or two drops of Tick Release works to help loosen a tick’s grip by softening its attachment cement within a few minutes of application. In studies using Tick Release, up to 33 percent of ticks even backed themselves out of the skin. A simple application of Tick Release promotes proper tick removal with a lessened frequency of mouth parts breaking; greatly reducing the healing time, itching and irritation, and chances of secondary infection. Available in two sizes, 1/5 oz and 1 1/4 oz!

Staff Tip: Create your own safe and powerful tick removal system by pairing Tick Release with any of the other tick removal implements discussed. This will even further assure the complete removal of all body, head and mouth parts.

LCS Staff Review - Tick Release Staff Review 

Prompt and complete removal (mouth parts included!) of ticks is the most critical step in preventing the spread of infectious diseases. No matter what tool you’re armed with, there are a few simple steps following tick removal to further reduce the risk of secondary infection. After you’ve removed the tick, make sure to wash your hands thoroughly, clean the bite site with an antiseptic of your choice, and rinse the tool with disinfectant.

Stay safe and stay healthy! Thanks for reading!