05/23/2026
What do you do if you find a tick?
The Ohio Department of Health recently updated its Lyme disease map, and the trend is clear: Lyme disease is no longer something we only associate with “somewhere else.” Blacklegged ticks — the ticks that can carry Lyme disease — are continuing to expand across Ohio - especially to the west. Outdoor exposure matters.
If you hike, garden, camp, hunt, walk your dog, or spend time in tall grass/wooded areas, it is worth taking tick prevention seriously.
What to do if you find a tick:
1) Remove it right away. Use fine-tipped tweezers, grab the tick close to the skin, and pull straight up with steady pressure. Do not twist, burn it, smother it, or use essential oils to “make it back out.”
3) Clean the area. Wash with soap and water or alcohol after removal.
4) Save the tick if you can. Put it in a bag or container. This can help identify the type of tick and whether it looked engorged.
5) Pay attention to timing. Lyme transmission is much less likely if the tick is removed quickly. Risk goes up when a blacklegged tick has been attached for about 36 hours or longer, especially if it is engorged.
6) Watch for symptoms over the next few weeks. Call your healthcare provider if you develop a spreading rash, fever, chills, headache, body aches, joint pain, swollen lymph nodes, unusual fatigue, or flu-like symptoms after a tick bite.
Do you need antibiotics just because you found a tick?
Usually, no. Most tick bites do not require antibiotics, especially if the tick was removed quickly and you feel well.
In certain higher-risk situations, a clinician may consider a one-time dose of doxycycline if the tick was likely a blacklegged tick, was attached long enough, was removed within the last 72 hours, and doxycycline is safe for you.
The bottom line: remove ticks promptly, don’t panic, and monitor for symptoms. Prevention and early recognition are key.
Before coming inside after outdoor time: check your scalp, behind the ears, armpits, waistband, groin, behind the knees, socks/ankles, and pets. Ticks are tiny, and the earlier you find them, the better.
https://odh.ohio.gov/know-our-programs/zoonotic-disease-program/media/lyme-disease-map